Anonymousabout 3 hours ago
Al-Qaeda affiliate JNIM and allied Tuareg rebels have imposed an economic and military blockade on Mali's capital Bamako following the largest coordinated offensive since the 2012 rebellion, killing the defense minister and forcing Russian mercenaries to retreat from multiple northern cities. With fuel prices tripling since September 2025, over 300 tanker trucks destroyed, and more than 4 million residents effectively trapped, the crisis represents an unprecedented test of the military junta's grip on power — and a potential catalyst for state collapse with regional consequences across the Sahel.