Mali is currently unable to refuel commercial aircraft in its capital Bamako due to fuel shortages and is asking airlines to refuel elsewhere until next week, its transport ministry told Reuters.

"There are a lot of flight operations these days and that has affected the fuel stock," Ould Mamouni, a ministry spokesman, said on Tuesday night.

"This is to announce to companies that given the limited fuel stock, they will not be able to refuel in Bamako; they can consider obtaining supplies in neighbouring countries before coming to Mali."

In a letter seen by Reuters late Tuesday, the director general of the West African country's National Civil Aviation Agency asked the representative to Mali of regional air traffic control agency ASECNA to notify airlines of the measure, which would last from July 9 until July 15.

"I invite you to take the necessary steps to issue a notice to air users on the unavailability of Jet A1 fuel at President Modibo Keita-Senou International Airport," he wrote.

Airlines including Turkish Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines service Bamako.