Moroccan truck drivers whose vehicles were set ablaze in Mali are now safe and staying in a hotel under protection, according to a Moroccan transport union official.
Cherki El Hachmi, secretary-general of the General Union of International and National Transport Professionals, said the affected drivers have been provided with financial assistance, basic necessities and psychological support following the attack.
He added, in a statement to Hespress AR that arrangements are underway to transport the drivers safely to Nouakchott under security escort, despite ongoing instability in the region.
Hachmi warned that the security environment in Mali has become increasingly dangerous, describing the situation as “out of control.”
He said additional foreign trucks traveling through the area were reportedly fired upon Thursday, with drivers narrowly escaping harm after taking evasive action.
According to field reports and testimony from affected drivers, 14 Moroccan trucks were allegedly burned by an armed group, El Hachmi said, significantly higher than earlier reported figures.
The union official called on Moroccan authorities to urgently intervene to secure and assist Moroccan drivers stranded across several West African countries, including Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Niger and Mali.
He also cited Moroccan drivers currently stuck in areas around Bamako as well as the towns of Nioro and Diéma, urging coordinated efforts to ensure their safe evacuation.
The incidents come amid worsening insecurity in the Sahel region, where armed extremist groups have increasingly targeted transport corridors and commercial supply routes.
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