The landlocked West African nation has long been battling the al Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group JNIM, which has already seized large parts of the country, raising fears that it could capture the capital.

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Minister Abdoulaye Diop told reporters that Mali is currently confronting and successfully managing the fuel shortage caused by the group, and that JNIM has “no capacity” to confront the country’s security forces.

He said: “We are very far from what is being reported outside our country that the fighters are here, that they have reached Bamako, that they are going to take this or that. We are not at all giving any credibility to such claims.”

He added: “Those making such claims need to wake up from their dreams.”

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On November 9, the African Union called for an urgent international response due to worsening security, while Western countries including the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and Italy advised their citizens to leave Mali.

Diop said the AU’s call for international action, such as intelligence-sharing, reflects a poor understanding of the situation on the ground.

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Many schools have reopened in the country, and Bamako recently hosted a military equipment exhibition, including firms from Turkey.

The minister said he respects “the decision of some countries that have asked their citizens to leave Mali,” but stressed that the country remains open and welcoming to foreigners.

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The military-led governments of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have withdrawn from the West African regional bloc ECOWAS, distanced themselves from Western allies, and turned to Russia for security support.

Diop added that relations with the United States are improving under the Trump administration, and the two countries are engaged in talks on security and economic issues, although he did not provide further details.