Several industrial facilities in Mali’s western Kayes region were attacked on Sunday, January 11, as suspected jihadists linked to al-Qaeda expanded their campaign from fuel blockades to direct strikes on economic infrastructure. According to reports published this Monday, three factories producing cement, lime and plaster — owned by Malian and Indian businessmen — were targeted in coordinated assaults.
Witnesses said between 150 and 200 heavily armed attackers arrived on motorcycles, split into groups and set the plants ablaze, causing extensive destruction. Images of burning cement bags and damaged buildings circulated widely on social media, underscoring the scale of the devastation. Local officials who visited the sites described a scene of near-total ruin, with residents warning that the attackers appeared determined to halt industrial activity in the area altogether.
At least four people were abducted during the attacks. The incident follows similar assaults in July 2025, when jihadists struck factories in the same region and kidnapped foreign workers, including Indian nationals, who remain in captivity. The latest violence highlights the deepening security and economic crisis gripping western Mali as jihadist pressure tightens on both civilians and industry.
