Mali Suspends Schools and Higher Education Centers as Jihadist Restrictions Intensifies Petrol Emergency

The landlocked West African country has suspended educational facilities and universities countrywide due to a acute fuel scarcity resulting from a restriction on energy resources implemented by militant groups.

The Education Minister announced on state television that all learning centers would remain closed until 9 November, noting that the movement of staff and pupils had been disrupted by the imposed limitations.

He stated that the government officials were “working tirelessly” to end the crisis so that classes could continue on 10 November.

For a number of weeks, the nation has been facing a energy deficit, especially in the capital Bamako, after insurgents from an jihadist network enforced a restriction by targeting fuel trucks on key routes.

The country is without coastal access, so all petroleum products are transported by truck from bordering countries such as its western neighbor and Ivory Coast.

Lengthy waits have been forming around petrol stations in the capital in the past few weeks, and the city's usually crowded streets have now reportedly become deserted.

The junta-led administration had earlier this month promised citizens that it was only a short-term problem, but the situation has continued.

Last week, the United States diplomatic office in the capital announced that secondary diplomatic employees and their relatives would depart Mali amid the worsening energy crisis and escalating safety issues.

It explained that the petroleum supply issues had disrupted the energy availability and had the “potential to disrupt” the general safety conditions in unforeseen manners.

Mali is currently ruled by a army council under the leadership of Gen Assimi Goïta, who took control in a takeover in 2021.

The junta had public backing when it took power, vowing to deal with the long-running security crisis triggered by a independence uprising in the northern territories by Tuareg communities, which was then co-opted by jihadist fighters.

The international UN troops and France's military had been sent in 2013 to deal with the growing rebellion.

The international troops have left since the junta took over, and the current administration has hired Russian mercenaries to address the insecurity.

Nevertheless, the Islamist rebellion has continued and large parts of the northern and eastern zones of the nation remain beyond state authority.