Ancient city of Timbuktu in Mali under a blockade by Islamist militants

Reports indicate that the historic city of Timbuktu in Mali has reportedly been besieged by Islamist militants for several days.

Local officials revealed on Monday that the jihadists had effectively cut off all roads leading to and from the northern city, which is located on the outskirts of the Sahara desert, according to AFP.

A local lawmaker, speaking anonymously to the news agency, disclosed that “Timbuktu and the south” were completely cut off by the militants, who also blocked access along the nearby Niger River.

An official from the city hall described the situation, saying, “The roads are blocked by the jihadists, and as a result, goods are not able to enter the city. This has led to a difficult situation with high prices for everything in Timbuktu.”

This blockade has caused severe disruptions in the supply lines to Timbuktu, leading to significant price hikes in essential commodities. For instance, the price of petrol surged from “845 CFA francs (approximately $1.40) to 1,250 CFA francs within a week,” according to a petrol station owner.

Earlier this month, messages attributed to a commander from the Group to Support Islam and Muslims (GSIM), an Al Qaeda-affiliated group, circulated on social media. These messages claimed that the GSIM had “declared war” on the Timbuktu region and warned trucks from various neighboring countries against entering the city. The threats included potential attacks on vehicles that ignored the warning.

These developments coincide with the expedited withdrawal of the United Nations peacekeeping mission MINUSMA from a base in northern Mali due to heightened security risks. Mali, which has witnessed multiple coups over the last decade, is currently under the control of a military junta advocating for the departure of the MINUSMA UN mission that began in 2013 in response to separatist and jihadist rebellions in the country’s northern region.

While the UN has complied with the junta’s request and handed over control of two bases near Timbuktu to Malian authorities, the region continues to experience instability and unrest.

Currently, the UN mission still maintains a camp within Timbuktu; however, its troops are scheduled to withdraw from the city by the end of this year.