In Mali, the livestock market of Faladiè, located on the outskirts of Bamako, was completely demolished by bulldozers on Sunday, April 19. This operation was the execution of a policy established in September 2024. Following the Jnim jihadist strikes against the gendarmerie school and other strategic military locations in the capital, the Mali government ordered the relocation of several cattle markets, which were thought to provide cover for insurgent fighters.
However, the Faladiè market—locally known as a garbal—also served as an informal settlement for internally displaced persons (IDPs), many of whom had fled the country’s central regions. The demolition has left hundreds of families destitute and without any immediate support.
“We fled our home village six years ago,” recalls Dado, a mother in her 40s from the Bankass district in central Mali, who escaped the local violence in 2020.
Seeking safety in the capital
“There are seven of us in total: my mother, my two daughters, and my three sons. We moved to the capital because of the conflict. We truly believed we would be safe here,” Dado shared.
In addition to Dado and her family, approximately 300 other households residing in the Faladiè camp have been rendered homeless. This displacement affects more than 2,000 people, primarily women and children, who are now exposed to the elements without access to food or medical assistance in the leveled landscape.
Challenges with the Sanankoroba relocation site
The official plan is to move the displaced residents from Faladiè to Sanankoroba, a site prepared by the state approximately 35 kilometers from Bamako. However, various livestock sellers have described the new location as “non-functional,” raising concerns about its readiness to host the families.
At this stage, Dado’s only priority is finding a new home for her children and mother.
“They have told us to leave, and we will do so because we have no other choice. But we are begging the authorities to provide us with a genuine place to relocate,” Dado pleaded.
“It was the terror of the war that brought us here. Before the eviction, we survived by gathering waste and food scraps to sell to the cattle farmers. Now, we have nothing—no water, no food. But our most desperate need is a roof over our heads. For someone with nowhere to go, finding shelter must come first,” another displaced person explained.
Established in 2019, the informal IDP camp at the Faladiè garbal had previously received assistance from both local and international humanitarian organizations, with the cooperation of the Mali government. Efforts to contact the National Directorate for Social Development resulted in a brief statement claiming it is “too early” to comment on the current crisis.
