🔗 Share this article

The landlocked West African country has suspended schools and universities throughout the country due to a critical fuel scarcity resulting from a blockade on petroleum supplies enforced by Islamist insurgents.

Minister of Education stated on state television that all academic facilities would remain closed until November 9th, explaining that the travel of employees and students had been disrupted by the restrictions.

He emphasized that the administration were “making every effort” to end the emergency so that classes could resume on November 10th.

For weeks, the nation has been facing a energy deficit, particularly in the main city, after militants from an al-Qaeda affiliate initiated a embargo by targeting tankers on major highways.

Mali is surrounded by land, so all energy resources are brought in by truck from bordering countries such as Senegal and Ivory Coast.

Extended lines have been forming around fuel outlets in the main city in the past few weeks, and the city's usually crowded streets have now apparently become deserted.

The junta-led administration had in recent days promised citizens that it was only a passing concern, but the situation has endured.

Recently, the US Embassy in Bamako declared that secondary diplomatic employees and their families would evacuate the country amid the deteriorating petrol scarcity and escalating security concerns.

It explained that the energy interruptions had affected the energy availability and had the “capacity to affect” the overall security situation in unforeseen manners.

Mali is now led by a military junta led by Gen Assimi Goïta, who seized power in a military overthrow in 2021.

The military government had widespread approval when it came to authority, promising to address the long-running security crisis caused by a autonomy movement in the northern territories by Tuareg communities, which was then hijacked by Islamist militants.

The United Nations stabilization force and France's military had been sent in 2013 to address the increasing militant activity.

These forces have left since the military assumed power, and the military government has contracted private military contractors to tackle the insecurity.

However, the Islamist rebellion has persisted and large parts of the northern and eastern territories of the state remain outside government control.