Mali Shuts Down Schools and Universities as Islamist Militant Blockade Exacerbates Fuel Crisis

The landlocked West African country has closed schools and higher learning institutions countrywide due to a severe petrol shortage triggered by a blockade on energy resources enforced by jihadist fighters.

Minister of Education stated on state television that all academic facilities would be inactive until November 9th, explaining that the travel of personnel and pupils had been impacted by the restrictions.

He stated that the administration were “working tirelessly” to alleviate the emergency so that educational activities could resume on the tenth of November.

For several weeks, Mali has been grappling with a energy deficit, especially in the administrative center, after armed groups from an al-Qaeda affiliate enforced a embargo by targeting fuel trucks on key routes.

The country is without coastal access, so all petroleum products are brought in by road from bordering countries such as Senegal and Ivory Coast.

Long queues have been winding around gas pumps in the main city in recent weeks, and the city's typically busy streets have now allegedly become deserted.

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

Last week, the American diplomatic mission in the capital stated that non-essential diplomatic staff and their families would depart the country amid the deteriorating petrol scarcity and escalating safety issues.

It noted that the energy interruptions had affected the supply of electricity and had the “ability to disturb” the broader protection environment in unforeseen manners.

The West African nation is currently ruled by a military junta under the leadership of Gen Assimi Goïta, who took control in a takeover in 2021.

The ruling council had public backing when it came to authority, vowing to tackle the protracted safety emergency prompted by a separatist rebellion in the northern region by ethnic Tuaregs, which was then taken over by extremist groups.

The international UN troops and French forces had been stationed in a decade ago to combat the increasing militant activity.

These forces have left since the military assumed power, and the ruling council has contracted foreign fighters to tackle the insecurity.

However, the jihadist insurgency has persisted and large parts of the northern and eastern territories of the country remain not under administrative command.