The Malian government has formally prohibited the circulation of motorcycles measuring “125 cm3 and above” throughout the national territory, with exceptions for the capital city and various administrative centers. This directive, publicly announced via national television on a recent Wednesday, addresses the nation’s ongoing struggle with a severe jihadist insurgency.
Motorcycles serve as a primary mode of transportation for jihadist factions operating within Mali, a nation grappling with an unprecedented security crisis spanning several weeks. These militant groups have recently enforced a blockade around Bamako. An inter-ministerial decree, broadcast on national television, explicitly states: “The movement of motorcycles with an engine capacity of 125 cm3 and greater, outside of major urban areas, is suspended across the entire national territory.”
Areas exempt from the ban include the District of Bamako, along with regional, circle, and arrondissement capitals
The official document clarifies that the “District of Bamako, the capitals of Regions, Cercles, and Arrondissements” are specifically excluded from this new regulation. Furthermore, in a separate announcement, authorities declared a comprehensive halt to “the import, transit, commercialization, sale, and gratuitous distribution of motorcycles with engine capacities of 125cm3 and above, along with their associated accessories (…) throughout the national territory.”
Mali is currently navigating a critical security landscape, following large-scale coordinated assaults on April 25th and 26th. These attacks were orchestrated by jihadists from the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an organization affiliated with Al-Qaïda, alongside the Front for the Liberation of Azawad (FLA), a predominantly Tuareg rebellion.
Since April 30th, jihadist groups have also imposed a significant road blockade, impacting multiple routes that lead directly to the capital city, Bamako.