The jihadist movement JNIM has described itself as a branch of the terrorist sect al-Qaeda. Its militiamen have been blocking the roads to the city of Bamako for some time now, in what is seen as an attempt to starve out the country's military junta.
The deteriorating security situation means that non-essential embassy personnel must leave the country, Britain and the United States announced, according to the AFP news agency.
Sweden closed the remaining embassy in Bamako last year. A far-reaching travel advisory applies to Mali. The situation in the country is “continually worsening and attempts to leave are becoming increasingly risky,” the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote in an update this week.
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