Mali has been in the grip of an unprecedented crisis after Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, a Qaeda-linked militant group, declared a fuel blockade in September. (Photo: AP)

Italy has warned its citizens against travel to the African nation of Mali, citing the worsening security concerns there. “Italian nationals already in Mali are urged to leave the country as soon as possible,” the Italian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

The warning echoes one issued by the United States to its citizens on Tuesday. Germany and Australia had also urged their citizens to leave the country, which is in the midst of a fuel blockade by an Al Qaeda-linked militant group.

Located in West Africa, Mali is a landlocked country that shares its borders with Algeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, G

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