Mali Shuts Down Schools and Universities as Islamist Militant Blockade Exacerbates Petrol Shortage

Long queues at petrol stations in Mali
Lengthy lines have been snaking around gas stations in the past few weeks

Mali has temporarily halted educational facilities and higher learning institutions throughout the country due to a severe fuel scarcity triggered by a blockade on energy resources implemented by jihadist fighters.

Minister of Education declared on national broadcast that all learning centers would stay shut until the ninth of November, clarifying that the transportation of personnel and pupils had been impacted by the blockade.

He asserted that the administration were “doing everything possible” to end the situation so that academic sessions could continue on 10 November.

For several weeks, Mali has been experiencing a petrol crisis, particularly in the main city, after armed groups from an al-Qaeda-linked organization imposed a restriction by attacking tankers on major highways.

The country is landlocked, so all energy resources are transported by land routes from bordering countries such as Senegal and Ivory Coast.

Long queues have been winding around petrol stations in Bamako in the past few weeks, and the city's typically busy streets have now allegedly fallen quiet.

The military government had previously promised citizens that it was only a passing concern, but the emergency has persisted.

Last week, the US Embassy in the capital stated that non-essential diplomatic staff and their families would leave Mali amid the worsening energy crisis and increasing safety issues.

It explained that the petroleum supply issues had impacted the energy availability and had the “potential to disrupt” the overall security situation in unexpected forms.

The West African nation is presently governed by a armed forces administration led by General Goïta, who seized power in a military overthrow in recently.

The military government had widespread approval when it assumed control, committing to deal with the ongoing instability prompted by a autonomy movement in the northern region by ethnic Tuaregs, which was then hijacked by Islamist militants.

The United Nations stabilization force and France's military had been sent in 2013 to combat the growing rebellion.

The international troops have departed since the new administration came in, and the military government has contracted private military contractors to tackle the violence.

Nonetheless, the jihadist insurgency has persisted and significant areas of the northern and eastern territories of the country remain not under administrative command.

Nathan Smith
Nathan Smith

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