The West African nation Suspends Schools and Higher Education Centers as Islamist Militant Restrictions Intensifies Petrol Emergency
Mali has temporarily halted schools and colleges countrywide due to a critical petrol shortage caused by a embargo on fuel imports imposed by jihadist fighters.
Top education official stated on public media that all learning centers would be inactive until 9 November, noting that the movement of staff and learners had been disrupted by the imposed limitations.
He stated that the authorities were “working tirelessly” to resolve the situation so that classes could resume on November 10th.
For weeks, the nation has been grappling with a petrol crisis, notably in the capital Bamako, after insurgents from an jihadist network initiated a blockade by attacking transport vehicles on key routes.
Mali is landlocked, so all petroleum products are brought in by truck from neighboring states such as its western neighbor and Ivory Coast.
Extended lines have been winding around fuel outlets in the capital in the last several days, and the city's usually crowded streets have now apparently become deserted.
The military government had earlier this month reassured residents that it was only a passing concern, but the situation has continued.
In the past few days, the US Embassy in Bamako stated that non-essential diplomatic staff and their families would evacuate Mali amid the worsening fuel shortage and escalating security concerns.
It said that the petroleum supply issues had impacted the energy availability and had the “ability to disturb” the overall security situation in unforeseen manners.
Mali is now led by a army council led by Gen Assimi Goïta, who took control in a coup in 2021.
The military government had widespread approval when it came to authority, promising to deal with the ongoing instability prompted by a separatist rebellion in the northern territories by ethnic Tuaregs, which was then co-opted by extremist groups.
The United Nations stabilization force and French forces had been deployed in a decade ago to deal with the increasing militant activity.
Both have departed since the new administration came in, and the current administration has contracted Russian mercenaries to combat the insecurity.
However, the jihadist insurgency has persisted and significant areas of the north and east of the state remain outside government control.
