In Bamako, Mali's capital city, the familiar sounds of car engines and horns have been replaced by those of shuffling feet.
Residents push depleted motorcycles through the city's dusty roads, frustrated by the fuel blockade that has paralysed Mali for more than two months.
Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), a jihadist, al-Qaeda-affiliated militia, has been attacking tankers bringing fuel into Mali, broadening its years-long insurgency to include economic warfare.
JNIM's fighters have kidnapped drivers and torched more than 100 trucks bound for Bamako. Daily life has been upended for millions of Malians - schools and universities had to close, food prices have surged, and hospitals are battling power cuts.
The fuel shortage has sparked concern outside of Mali, with the US urging Americans not to travel to Mali and France advising its citizens in the West African country to leave as soon as possible.
One defining image of the crisis is lengthy queues building up outside petrol stations.
We're here waiting for fuel, and we've been here for more than four days now, Sidi Djiré, a taxi driver waiting at a petrol station in Bamako, tells the BBC.
Mr Djiré says he hopes Mali's military-led government solves the crisis soon, because whether you're a vendor or a teacher, everyone's work has been affected. At some forecourts in Bamako, motorists are met by a note bearing three, exasperating words - no fuel today.
Many delivery and bus drivers have resorted to sleeping at petrol stations in the hope of being the first to refuel once supplies come in. With public transport fares tripling in some parts of the capital, some passengers have ditched the bus completely and are walking long distances to work.
At Bamako's Baco Djicoroni market, customer Assitan Diarra says that food prices have tripled. Times are really tough right now. But what can we do? We are at war. We pray that God brings ease and peace to our country, Ms Diarra says.
Behind the chaos appears to be a carefully orchestrated plan. JNIM has intensified its attacks in this area over the past year, and the fuel blockade marks a significant escalation from its usual hit-and-run ambushes.
Mali is landlocked, so fuel supplies must be brought in by road from neighbouring states, such as Senegal and Ivory Coast. By cutting off fuel - the lifeblood of transport, electricity, and logistics - JNIM is forcing the government into a defensive position.
The blockade has revealed the government's weakening reach beyond Bamako and has undermined public confidence in a regime that promised to tackle jihadism. The fuel shortage has raised concerns that rising costs and difficulties in commuting could lead to increased crime rates and further instability in the region.
Residents push depleted motorcycles through the city's dusty roads, frustrated by the fuel blockade that has paralysed Mali for more than two months.
Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), a jihadist, al-Qaeda-affiliated militia, has been attacking tankers bringing fuel into Mali, broadening its years-long insurgency to include economic warfare.
JNIM's fighters have kidnapped drivers and torched more than 100 trucks bound for Bamako. Daily life has been upended for millions of Malians - schools and universities had to close, food prices have surged, and hospitals are battling power cuts.
The fuel shortage has sparked concern outside of Mali, with the US urging Americans not to travel to Mali and France advising its citizens in the West African country to leave as soon as possible.
One defining image of the crisis is lengthy queues building up outside petrol stations.
We're here waiting for fuel, and we've been here for more than four days now, Sidi Djiré, a taxi driver waiting at a petrol station in Bamako, tells the BBC.
Mr Djiré says he hopes Mali's military-led government solves the crisis soon, because whether you're a vendor or a teacher, everyone's work has been affected. At some forecourts in Bamako, motorists are met by a note bearing three, exasperating words - no fuel today.
Many delivery and bus drivers have resorted to sleeping at petrol stations in the hope of being the first to refuel once supplies come in. With public transport fares tripling in some parts of the capital, some passengers have ditched the bus completely and are walking long distances to work.
At Bamako's Baco Djicoroni market, customer Assitan Diarra says that food prices have tripled. Times are really tough right now. But what can we do? We are at war. We pray that God brings ease and peace to our country, Ms Diarra says.
Behind the chaos appears to be a carefully orchestrated plan. JNIM has intensified its attacks in this area over the past year, and the fuel blockade marks a significant escalation from its usual hit-and-run ambushes.
Mali is landlocked, so fuel supplies must be brought in by road from neighbouring states, such as Senegal and Ivory Coast. By cutting off fuel - the lifeblood of transport, electricity, and logistics - JNIM is forcing the government into a defensive position.
The blockade has revealed the government's weakening reach beyond Bamako and has undermined public confidence in a regime that promised to tackle jihadism. The fuel shortage has raised concerns that rising costs and difficulties in commuting could lead to increased crime rates and further instability in the region.
