Mali fuel blockade sparks fear and economic strain

Malians are growing increasingly anxious as Al-Qaida-linked militants tighten their blockade on fuel imports, torching trucks on key supply routes and threatening to choke off the country’s economy.

The armed group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) announced the blockade in a video last week, claiming responsibility for recent attacks on convoys bringing fuel from neighboring Senegal. The tactic marks a shift in strategy,…