The National Security Council (NSC) announced the measures on November 13, 2025, after reporting “several unusual flows of refugees” crossing from Mali. The council linked the movement directly to assaults by Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-aligned coalition active for nearly a decade.

Border Security Tightened In The North

The NSC said the influx “appears to be due to attacks against civilians by armed terrorist groups in several areas of southern Mali,” ordering officials to register arrivals and the army chief to “strengthen security at our country’s northern borders.”

The statement followed reports of “several unusual flows of refugees,” while Mali’s junta, in power since the 2020 coup, continues to struggle against JNIM’s decade-long insurgency, which has killed thousands since 2017 and remains one of the region’s most active armed movements.

JNIM Blockade Deepens Mali’s Fuel Crisis

Since September 2025, JNIM has targeted fuel trucks entering Mali from Ivory Coast and Senegal, sealing key roads and imposing what officials call a fuel blockade, pushing Bamako “to breaking point” and prompting some civilians to flee south.

A mid-week attack on Loulouni, about 50km (30 miles) from the Ivorian border, sent “hundreds” fleeing, highlighting how escalating violence in southern Mali is directly driving displacement into Ivory Coast.

Refugee Pressure Builds On Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast already hosts roughly 90,000 Burkinabe refugees, and the new Malian arrivals create a second major caseload as security forces try to balance stricter border measures with asylum access.

The surge comes amid heightened diplomatic concern, with multiple embassies advising departures from Mali and the U.S. and U.K. withdrawing non-essential staff, reflecting wider anxiety over the country’s security trajectory since the 2020 takeover.