Mark Fischer/Flickr

Bamako.

Islamist fighters in Mali have reportedly ttp://politicsto.com">expanded their operations around Bamako, as they press on with a fuel blockade on the capital. For weeks, the militants have been targeting fuel convoys and civilian vehicles, according to eyewitnesses.

The blockade has led to anxiety for residents as they grapple with the fuel shortage and hoarding by individuals attempting to profit from the situation. "This morning at dawn, a convoy of 1,000 fuel tankers, escorted by the army, was greeted by a cheering crowd in Bamako," one resident told reporters.

The Malian authorities are said to have imposed quotas on the amount of fuel that can be sold in some areas.