Jihadist fighters affiliated with Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, an al-Qaeda-linked group operating across the Sahel region, have destroyed dozens of vehicles in Mali as they enforce a blockade of major transport routes, demonstrating their expanding territorial control beyond the reach of the military government in Bamako. The attacks targeted commercial trucks and civilian vehicles. The blockade represents a significant escalation in the conflict that has destabilised Mali and the wider Sahel for over a decade. By controlling key road networks, the jihadist group is effectively imposing a parallel governance structure, collecting taxes from those who wish to pass and destroying the property of those who refuse to comply or who are suspected of cooperating with government forces. The destruction of commercial vehicles has severe humanitarian implications for a landlocked country where road transport is the primary means of moving food, medicine, and essential supplies. Communities in blockaded areas face rising prices and potential shortages, compounding the existing humanitarian crisis in a country where millions depend on international food assistance. Mali's military government, which seized power in coups in 2020 and 2021, expelled French and United Nations peacekeeping forces in favour of security partnerships with Russia's Wagner Group, now rebranded as Afrika Corps. Despite this shift, the jihadist insurgency has continued to expand, with analysts noting that the military government controls little territory beyond Bamako and a handful of regional capitals.