Nigeria, June 4 -- On 25 April, Mali was struck by a series of coordinated attacks carried out by Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). The assaults targeted the towns of Kati, Mopti, Sevare, Gao and the capital Bamako, resulting in numerous casualties, and the assassination of Defence Minister Sadio Camara.

During the counter-offensive launched by Malian authorities, several suspects, including civilians, active-duty soldiers and personnel dismissed from the army, were arrested.

Five days after the attacks started, JNIM imposed a blockade on the capital, specifically along western routes. The obstruction of the road between Kita and Bamako has trapped hundreds of people, making the supply of...