The incident points to some transporters failing to follow the travel arrangements agreed with the Malian army to protect trucks on the road. According to the source, an agreement allows trucks to travel under military escort twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The system is designed to protect drivers along a route exposed to armed group attacks.
The convoy system follows a specific arrangement. Trucks travel together in the middle, with military Land Rover vehicles escorting them on both sides. A helicopter also monitors the route from the air. This setup is intended to help transporters cross high-risk areas more safely.
However, some drivers leave the Gougui border post without waiting for the next convoy and set off alone, outside the agreed travel times.
The driver seen in the video appears to have found himself in exactly this situation. His truck was not part of a convoy and therefore had none of the military protection provided by the escort system.
The off-road vehicle seen in the background of the video does not appear to belong to the Malian army, despite what the footage might suggest. According to the source, it belongs to mercenaries involved in an exchange of gunfire with armed men hiding in the forest. These men are tasked with monitoring and securing the road used by the trucks.
Caught in the middle of the gunfire, the visibly terrified Moroccan driver narrowly escaped without injury. The incident reportedly took place just beyond the security zone, as the road leaves Nioro du Sahel.
The source said the incident should serve as a warning to transporters who continue to travel outside the agreed arrangements. “No one can guarantee their safety if they do not follow the instructions,” the source said, criticizing behavior that puts not only the drivers involved but also all Moroccan transporters using the route at risk.
Such individual decisions also put other transporters at a disadvantage, including those who follow the rules and wait for military escorts before setting off.
