🔗 Share this article

The landlocked West African country has suspended schools and universities across the nation due to a critical energy crisis caused by a blockade on fuel imports imposed by jihadist fighters.

Minister of Education announced on national broadcast that all learning centers would remain closed until 9 November, explaining that the transportation of staff and learners had been disrupted by the imposed limitations.

He stated that the authorities were “doing everything possible” to end the emergency so that academic sessions could restart on 10 November.

For a number of weeks, Mali has been experiencing a petrol crisis, particularly in the capital Bamako, after insurgents from an al-Qaeda-linked organization imposed a restriction by striking tankers on primary roads.

Mali is landlocked, so all energy resources are brought in by road from bordering countries such as Senegal and the neighboring nation.

Long queues have been snaking around petrol stations in Bamako in the past few weeks, and the city's normally bustling streets have now apparently fallen quiet.

The ruling military council had earlier this month reassured the public that it was only a temporary issue, but the situation has continued.

Recently, the US Embassy in Bamako announced that secondary diplomatic employees and their dependents would depart the country amid the deteriorating petrol scarcity and escalating security concerns.

It noted that the petroleum supply issues had impacted the power distribution and had the “capacity to affect” the general safety conditions in unexpected forms.

The West African nation is presently governed by a military junta led by the military leader, who assumed authority in a takeover in two years ago.

The junta had public backing when it took power, committing to tackle the ongoing instability caused by a autonomy movement in the northern region by Tuareg communities, which was then taken over by jihadist fighters.

The United Nations stabilization force and French forces had been deployed in 2013 to deal with the increasing militant activity.

Both have left since the new administration came in, and the military government has employed Russian mercenaries to combat the instability.

Nonetheless, the militant uprising has endured and large parts of the northern and eastern territories of the nation remain outside government control.