Mali Closes Educational Institutions and Higher Education Centers as Islamist Militant Blockade Worsens Fuel Shortage

The landlocked West African country has suspended educational facilities and universities across the nation due to a severe petrol shortage caused by a embargo on fuel imports imposed by Islamist insurgents.

The Education Minister declared on state television that all education institutions would stay shut until November 9th, clarifying that the movement of staff and students had been impacted by the imposed limitations.

He emphasized that the authorities were “working tirelessly” to resolve the crisis so that classes could continue on November 10th.

For a number of weeks, Mali has been experiencing a energy deficit, especially in the main city, after armed groups from an al-Qaeda affiliate enforced a blockade by attacking tankers on major highways.

The country is surrounded by land, so all petroleum products are brought in by truck from adjacent nations such as Senegal and Ivory Coast.

Long queues have been winding around gas pumps in the capital in recent weeks, and the city's usually crowded streets have now reportedly become deserted.

The ruling military council had earlier this month promised citizens that it was only a passing concern, but the situation has endured.

Recently, the US Embassy in Bamako stated that non-critical embassy personnel and their relatives would evacuate the country amid the deteriorating energy crisis and escalating protection worries.

It noted that the fuel disruptions had disrupted the supply of electricity and had the “potential to disrupt” the broader protection environment in unforeseen manners.

Mali is now led by a armed forces administration led by the military leader, who took control in a coup in recently.

The junta had widespread approval when it assumed control, vowing to address the long-running security crisis prompted by a independence uprising in the north by ethnic Tuaregs, which was then taken over by jihadist fighters.

The United Nations stabilization force and French forces had been sent in previously to deal with the growing rebellion.

Both have left since the military assumed power, and the military government has employed foreign fighters to address the insecurity.

However, the Islamist rebellion has continued and large parts of the north and east of the country remain beyond state authority.