In the heart of Mali, communities face an invisible siege. The Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) has weaponized blockades, choking off supply routes, sealing off farmlands, and halting market activity. The goal isn’t conquest—it’s suffocation. In towns like Marébougou, Saye, and Kori-Maoundé, residents are caught between desperation and compromise, navigating hunger, fear, and uneasy negotiations to keep their families alive.
How communities resist, adapt, and survive
With roads cut off and fields abandoned, survival depends on ingenuity. Some families turn to bartering with traders who brave the blockades under cover of night. Others rely on hidden trade networks that operate beyond the JNIM’s reach. Yet these solutions come at a price—higher costs, greater risks, and the constant shadow of violence.
In Marébougou, a once-bustling marketplace now operates in whispers. Traders and buyers meet in secret, exchanging goods under the watchful eyes of armed patrols. The fear of discovery looms large, but the alternative—starvation—is unthinkable.
The human cost of economic strangulation
The blockade isn’t just about control—it’s about control through suffering. By restricting access to food, medicine, and basic supplies, JNIM aims to break the will of local populations. Prices for staples like rice, millet, and cooking oil have skyrocketed, pushing many to the edge of survival. Malnutrition rates have climbed, and families are forced to make impossible choices: feed their children or pay for medical care.
In Saye, a small agricultural hub, farmers describe how their fields now lie fallow. The threat of violence keeps them away, and without harvests, hunger becomes an unwelcome neighbor. The blockade has turned once-fertile lands into symbols of despair.
Negotiation as a last resort
Some communities have resorted to negotiation, striking fragile deals with JNIM to ensure minimal access to essential goods. These arrangements are fragile, often temporary, and come with strict conditions. Residents must adhere to the group’s social and religious codes, or risk losing what little they’ve secured.
Kori-Maoundé, a town on the edge of the blockade’s reach, has seen its share of uneasy truces. Here, leaders walk a tightrope—balancing the demands of the armed group with the needs of their people. But trust is scarce, and the fear of betrayal lingers.
