Bamako Blockade Ongoing — 3 of 6 Main Entry Roads Disrupted; Food and Fuel Prices Surge

As of May 15, 2026, at least 3 of Bamako's 6 main road entry corridors remain disrupted by JNIM attacks on convoys, confirming that the April 28 'total siege' declaration remains operationally effective. Radio France Internationale (RFI) confirmed blockade activity at Soribougou (west), Naréna (southwest), and Ouélessébougou (south). Fuel and food prices are rising sharply across Bamako as JNIM's supply interdiction maintains structural pressure on the capital. The ongoing blockade — now 17 days after the April 28 formal JNIM declaration — demonstrates that the May 2 convoy of 800+ trucks was a temporary breakthrough rather than a structural resolution: JNIM retains the ability to obstruct supply routes at will. The Manantali power grid sabotage (May 12) has added an electricity dimension to the existing fuel and food crisis. JNIM's siege strategy has progressed through four distinct phases: road fuel blockade (Jan–April 2026) → total siege declaration (April 28) → prison assault + convoy arson (May 6–7) → power grid attack (May 12). Each phase has progressively escalated the multi-domain pressure on Bamako's essential services without triggering a militarily effective FAMa ground response.