Mali Closes Schools and Universities as Jihadist Restrictions Exacerbates Fuel Crisis

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

Mali has suspended educational facilities and colleges across the nation due to a critical energy crisis caused by a embargo on petroleum supplies enforced by militant groups.

Top education official stated on public media that all education institutions would stay shut until the ninth of November, clarifying that the transportation of personnel and students had been disrupted by the restrictions.

He asserted that the authorities were “making every effort” to resolve the crisis so that academic sessions could continue on 10 November.

For weeks, the nation has been grappling with a energy deficit, especially in the main city, after armed groups from an jihadist network imposed a blockade by attacking transport vehicles on primary roads.

The country is without coastal access, so all energy resources are brought in by land routes from neighboring states such as its western neighbor and Ivory Coast.

Extended lines have been snaking around petrol stations in Bamako in the last several days, and the city's normally bustling streets have now allegedly fallen quiet.

The military government had in recent days assured residents that it was only a short-term problem, but the emergency has continued.

Last week, the American diplomatic mission in Bamako stated that non-essential diplomatic staff and their families would evacuate the country amid the worsening energy crisis and increasing safety issues.

It noted that the energy interruptions had impacted the supply of electricity and had the “ability to disturb” the general safety conditions in unpredictable ways.

Mali is currently ruled by a armed forces administration led by the military leader, who assumed authority in a coup in two years ago.

The junta had popular support when it came to authority, promising to tackle the protracted safety emergency triggered by a autonomy movement in the north by ethnic Tuaregs, which was then taken over by Islamist militants.

The United Nations stabilization force and French forces had been stationed in a decade ago to combat the increasing militant activity.

These forces have left since the military assumed power, and the current administration has hired Russian mercenaries to tackle the instability.

Nonetheless, the militant uprising has persisted and large parts of the northern and eastern territories of the country remain not under administrative command.

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