Two weeks have passed since residents were forced to abandon Kouakourou in central Mali, yet thousands remain in dire circumstances. Following an ultimatum issued by fighters from the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an affiliate of Al-Qaeda, these individuals are now striving to reconstruct their lives far from their original homes, enduring significant precarity.

After seizing the military camp in Kouakourou, the jihadist group ordered the entire population to evacuate. Approximately 5,000 people subsequently left the town, seeking refuge in neighboring villages, including Djenné, Bamako, and Mopti. In Mopti, local authorities have provided temporary shelter in a school, accommodating over 400 displaced persons.

While humanitarian aid, including food, is being distributed through the efforts of donors and the municipal government, the reception conditions are exceedingly challenging. Classrooms have been repurposed as makeshift dormitories, and due to the severe lack of space, some families are compelled to spend their nights in the school’s courtyard. The onset of rains further exacerbates their plight, forcing all displaced individuals to crowd indoors, intensifying already difficult living arrangements.

Beyond the tangible material hardships, these families express profound suffering from the forced abandonment of their houses and possessions. Numerous residents recount fleeing Kouakourou with only the clothes they were wearing, alleging that their mobile phones were confiscated by the jihadists during their escape.

This mass displacement coincides critically with the agricultural season, jeopardizing essential harvests and the primary livelihoods for many families. For these uprooted communities, the prospect of returning to Kouakourou remains their foremost hope, even though the prevailing security situation currently precludes any short-term return.