Malian authorities have enacted a nationwide suspension on the movement of motorcycles with an engine capacity of 125 cm³ and above, effective immediately outside of Bamako and other significant urban centers. This decisive action, which also prohibits their importation and sale, comes amidst a severely deteriorating security landscape characterized by persistent jihadist assaults and strategic road blockades impacting routes to the capital.
A decree broadcast on national television on Wednesday, June 3, confirmed that the Malian government has forbidden the operation of motorcycles exceeding 125 cm³ across the entire national territory, with exceptions for the capital and administrative hubs. This sweeping prohibition directly addresses the nation’s struggle against an ongoing jihadist insurgency.
Motorcycles are notoriously the preferred mode of transport for jihadist groups operating in Mali, a nation plunged into an unprecedented security crisis in recent weeks, compounded by jihadists imposing a blockade on Bamako. An inter-ministerial order, publicly read on national television Wednesday evening, explicitly states: “The circulation of motorcycles with an engine capacity of 125 cm³ and above, outside of major urban areas, is suspended across the entire national territory.”
Exemptions for key administrative zones
The directive specifies that the “District of Bamako, along with the capitals of Regions, Cercles, and Arrondissements,” are not subject to this particular restriction. Furthermore, in a separate statement, authorities announced a comprehensive suspension of “the importation, transit, commercialization, sale, and gratuitous distribution of motorcycles with an engine capacity of 125 cm³ and above, as well as their associated accessories, throughout the national territory.”
Mali is currently grappling with a critical security situation following large-scale, coordinated attacks on April 25 and 26. These assaults were orchestrated by jihadists from the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an affiliate of Al-Qaeda, alongside the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), a predominantly Tuareg rebel group. Since April 30, these jihadist factions have also imposed significant road blockades on several key routes leading into the capital, Bamako, further exacerbating the country’s security challenges and impacting African news today.
