Mali Suspends Schools and Higher Education Centers as Islamist Militant Blockade Intensifies Fuel Emergency

The landlocked West African country has temporarily halted schools and universities across the nation due to a critical petrol shortage triggered by a blockade on energy resources implemented by militant groups.

The Education Minister stated on state television that all education institutions would remain closed until 9 November, clarifying that the transportation of employees and pupils had been impacted by the blockade.

He asserted that the authorities were “doing everything possible” to resolve the crisis so that educational activities could continue on November 10th.

For weeks, Mali has been grappling with a fuel shortage, particularly in the administrative center, after armed groups from an al-Qaeda affiliate initiated a restriction by targeting fuel trucks on major highways.

Mali is surrounded by land, so all petroleum products are brought in by road from bordering countries such as its western neighbor and Côte d'Ivoire.

Long queues have been winding around petrol stations in Bamako in recent weeks, and the city's normally bustling streets have now allegedly grown silent.

The military government had earlier this month assured the public that it was only a passing concern, but the situation has endured.

Recently, the American diplomatic mission in Bamako announced that non-essential diplomatic staff and their relatives would leave the country amid the intensifying fuel shortage and increasing safety issues.

It said that the fuel disruptions had disrupted the energy availability and had the “capacity to affect” the overall security situation in unpredictable ways.

Mali is currently ruled by a armed forces administration led by Gen Assimi Goïta, who assumed authority in a military overthrow in recently.

The military government had widespread approval when it assumed control, vowing to address the ongoing instability triggered by a autonomy movement in the northern territories by ethnic Tuaregs, which was then taken over by jihadist fighters.

The United Nations stabilization force and French forces had been stationed in a decade ago to address the escalating insurgency.

The international troops have left since the new administration came in, and the ruling council has hired Russian mercenaries to address the instability.

Nevertheless, the militant uprising has endured and significant areas of the northern and eastern territories of the country remain beyond state authority.