The West African nation Suspends Schools and Higher Education Centers as Jihadist Blockade Exacerbates Petrol Crisis

Long queues at petrol stations in Mali
Lengthy lines have been snaking around petrol stations in recent weeks

Mali has temporarily halted schools and higher learning institutions across the nation due to a acute energy crisis resulting from a blockade on fuel imports imposed by militant groups.

Minister of Education announced on national broadcast that all academic facilities would be inactive until November 9th, explaining that the travel of staff and students had been disrupted by the imposed limitations.

He stated that the administration were “working tirelessly” to resolve the crisis so that educational activities could resume on November 10th.

For several weeks, the nation has been experiencing a fuel shortage, particularly in the capital Bamako, after insurgents from an al-Qaeda-linked organization imposed a restriction by striking tankers on primary roads.

Mali is without coastal access, so all energy resources are brought in by road from bordering countries such as Senegal and the neighboring nation.

Lengthy waits have been forming around petrol stations in Bamako in the past few weeks, and the city's normally bustling streets have now apparently become deserted.

The ruling military council had in recent days promised citizens that it was only a short-term problem, but the emergency has endured.

In the past few days, the United States diplomatic office in the capital stated that secondary diplomatic employees and their relatives would evacuate Mali amid the deteriorating energy crisis and escalating security concerns.

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

Mali is now led by a army council headed by General Goïta, who took control in a military overthrow in recently.

The military government had popular support when it came to authority, committing to deal with the protracted safety emergency caused by a separatist rebellion in the northern territories by Tuareg communities, which was then taken over by extremist groups.

The UN peacekeeping mission and French forces had been sent in 2013 to address the escalating insurgency.

These forces have withdrawn since the military assumed power, and the ruling council has employed private military contractors to combat the insecurity.

Nonetheless, the militant uprising has endured and significant areas of the northern and eastern zones of the nation remain not under administrative command.

Christina Mejia
Christina Mejia

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