Mali jihadists lift two‑year blockade on Bamako‑Mourdiah‑Nara road

On 23 June 2026, JNIM militants linked to al‑Qaeda ended a nearly two‑year blockade of the highway linking Bamako to the towns of Mourdiah and Nara in Mali’s Nara region. The cessation followed local negotiations that began in April and involved dozens of elected officials, civil‑society representatives and the militants. After the agreement, the first buses arrived in Mourdiah and Nara to cheers from residents; a local leader described the moment as “today Mourdiah breathes”. The deal also required the militants’ demand that displaced villagers be allowed to return and live in peace.

The development came amid a broader Sahel security reset. Mali’s curfew in the Koulikoro region was extended to 23 July 2026 with varying hours by locality. On 23 June, Mali and Guinea inaugurated a joint military commission in Conakry to boost cooperation on border security. In Burkina Faso, officials summoned the EU delegation over a European Parliament resolution on the country’s situation, reiterating non‑interference. Meanwhile, Niger announced its request to withdraw from the International Criminal Court, following earlier withdrawals by Mali and Burkina Faso.