US warns citizens in Mali to leave the country right away

US officials told Americans in Mali on Tuesday that they needed to leave the country right away on commercial planes because insurgents with ties to al-Qaeda are putting more pressure on the government by blocking fuel supplies.

Earlier in September, rebels from Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin said they would stop bringing fuel into the landlocked West African country. In response, they have attacked groups of fuel tankers trying to enter the country or get to Bamako, the city.

According to the government, school and university classes in Mali will be canceled for two weeks because of a lack of fuel.

“Persistent infrastructure challenges in Mali including continued disruptions of gasoline and diesel supplies, the closure of public institutions such as schools and universities nationwide, and ongoing armed conflict between Malian government and terrorist elements around Bamako increase the unpredictability of Bamako’s security situation,” the U.S. embassy in Mali said in a report.

The fuel blockade is part of a campaign of pressure on Mali’s military-led government by terrorist groups that want to cut off the country’s economic lifeline, according to analysts.

The embassy said that the airport in Bamako was still open and requested that Americans leave on commercial flights instead of driving to nearby countries because of the possibility of “terrorist attacks along national highways.”

“U.S. citizens who choose to stay in Mali should make backup plans,” the statement said, including ways to stay safe for a long time.

Unfortunately, the embassy can’t help Americans who live outside of the city.

Due to safety concerns, the State Department allowed U.S. government workers and family members to leave Mali on Friday that weren’t needed for an emergency.
“Do not travel” is the level 4 travel warning for Mali.