Italy has urged its citizens to leave Mali due to worsening security conditions, as the country faces mounting pressure from insurgents allegedly affiliated with al Qaeda who have enforced a fuel blockade.

“Italian nationals already in Mali are urged to leave the country as soon as possible,”

the Italian Foreign Ministry stated, highlighting that a severe fuel shortage in the West African nation could further deteriorate security, including in the capital, Bamako.

This alert follows a similar advisory issued earlier by the United States to its citizens.

According to a spokesperson from the Italian Foreign Ministry, about 70 Italian nationals are currently in Mali, most of them residing in Bamako.

Militants belonging to Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin declared a blockade on fuel imports in early September and have since targeted convoys of fuel tankers attempting to reach Mali or its capital.