Mali's military has halted about 70 fuel trucks bound for Allied Gold's Sadiola mine as al Qaeda-linked militants enforce a blockade on fuel imports, worsening supply shortages, reported Reuters.

The mine, located 650 km from Bamako, is facing dwindling fuel reserves. Armed forces have detained tankers in Diboli near the Senegal border and in Kayes, 75 km north of Sadiola, pending military escorts.

Three tankers reached the mine this week under escort, but companies often wait weeks or months for military support due to limited availability, sources said.

Mali's military government, in power since coups in 2020 and 2021, is under pressure from militant groups aiming to encircle towns across the Sahel region.

Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) guerrillas announced the blockade in early September, ordering traders from Ivory Coast, Guinea, Senegal and Mauritania to halt fuel shipments to Mali.

A JNIM spokesman said the embargo was in response to government persecution, including gas station closures and fuel cuts to villages accused of aiding jihadists.

Allied Gold and the Malian military did not respond to requests for comment. Security risks have escalated in recent months, with insurgents attacking convoys and destroying fuel tankers.

In May, militants targeted a convoy transporting mining equipment from Bamako to Sadiola, highlighting the growing threat to mining operations in the region.