Jihadists in Mali called for a united front to bring down the junta in charge of the country since 2020 as it began a road blockade on the capital Bamako. The call followed joint weekend attacks by jihadist movements and Tuareg separatists against the ruling junta’s positions.
On Thursday, the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM, allied with Al-Qaeda), issued a statement which called for a broad “common front” to “bring down the junta” and proceed with “a peaceful and inclusive transition.”
“We call on all sincere patriots, without exception, to rise up and unite our forces in a common front,” JNIM declared.
The jihadist group cited “political parties, the national armed forces, religious authorities, traditional leaders, and all components of Malian society” in the statement published on its Az Zallaqa platform.
Earlier in the week, the JNIM announced its would impose a blockade on access routes to Bamako, threatening severe reprisals against anyone still travelling on roads leading to the capital or the nearby town of Kati.”The only concession is being made for those already in Bamako to allow them to leave,” a JNIM spokesperson stated. Meanwhile on Thursday evening, the government of Niger said the joint anti-jihadist force of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali carried out “intense air campaigns” in Malian territory.
Nigerien authorities said they welcomed the “prompt and vigorous response of the units of the unified force… which conducted intense air campaigns in the hours following the cowardly attacks of April 25, 2026, in Gao, Menaka and Kidal.
Late last year, the JNIM attempted to cripple the Malian economy by imposing blockades on imports of petrol and diesel.