The closure began in late October and halted every road connecting the town to the surrounding Timbuktu region. Food, fuel, and medicine quickly fell to critical lows as traders suspended travel.

Mauritania, already sheltering around 300,000 refugees, received more than 2,500 new arrivals within days, most crossing the border with almost no belongings.

Blockade Severes Essential Supplies

The armed group imposed a total shutdown on Léré at the end of October, blocking civilian and commercial transit.

Local monitors said the siege halted food shipments, fuel deliveries, and medical stocks, emptying shops and driving residents to flee.

Prices spiked as transport networks across northern Mali froze under the pressure of the closure.

Fast-Moving Civilian Flight

UN officials reported that more than 2,500 people entered Mauritania in under two weeks, largely women, children, and elderly individuals escaping deteriorating conditions.

Many arrived without possessions, highlighting the urgency of the departure. Some men stayed behind to protect livestock or search for alternative income amid rising insecurity.

Strain on Mauritania’s Border Region

Mauritania hosts roughly 300,000 refugees, most from Mali since 2012. Authorities in Hodh Chargui said Malian refugees now make up around 40% of the region’s population, intensifying pressure on limited water, food, and health systems.

The 2023 withdrawal of international forces and the spread of armed actors in 2024–2025 have accelerated displacement cycles, producing repeated border surges.