The West African nation Closes Educational Institutions and Higher Education Centers as Islamist Militant Blockade Exacerbates Fuel Shortage
Mali has closed schools and universities throughout the country due to a severe fuel scarcity caused by a embargo on energy resources implemented by Islamist insurgents.
Top education official announced on national broadcast that all learning centers would be inactive until 9 November, explaining that the travel of personnel and pupils had been affected by the imposed limitations.
He stated that the government officials were “working tirelessly” to alleviate the crisis so that academic sessions could resume on the tenth of November.
For a number of weeks, the nation has been facing a fuel shortage, notably in the capital Bamako, after militants from an al-Qaeda affiliate initiated a restriction by targeting tankers on major highways.
The country is surrounded by land, so all energy resources are delivered by road from bordering countries such as Senegal and Ivory Coast.
Extended lines have been winding around fuel outlets in Bamako in the past few weeks, and the city's usually crowded streets have now reportedly become deserted.
The junta-led administration had previously reassured residents that it was only a short-term problem, but the crisis has endured.
Recently, the American diplomatic mission in the capital announced that non-essential diplomatic staff and their relatives would depart the country amid the intensifying energy crisis and growing safety issues.
It noted that the petroleum supply issues had disrupted the power distribution and had the “capacity to affect” the overall security situation in unforeseen manners.
The West African nation is now led by a armed forces administration led by Gen Assimi Goïta, who assumed authority in a military overthrow in 2021.
The ruling council had popular support when it came to authority, promising to address the long-running security crisis prompted by a autonomy movement in the north by Tuareg communities, which was then co-opted by jihadist fighters.
The international UN troops and France's military had been stationed in 2013 to deal with the increasing militant activity.
These forces have left since the new administration came in, and the ruling council has employed foreign fighters to combat the instability.
Nevertheless, the Islamist rebellion has endured and extensive regions of the north and east of the country remain not under administrative command.
