Mali Suspends Educational Institutions and Universities as Islamist Militant Blockade Exacerbates Petrol Crisis
The landlocked West African country has temporarily halted schools and universities across the nation due to a severe petrol shortage triggered by a blockade on petroleum supplies imposed by Islamist insurgents.
The Education Minister announced on public media that all learning centers would remain closed until the ninth of November, clarifying that the transportation of personnel and learners had been affected by the restrictions.
He asserted that the government officials were “making every effort” to alleviate the emergency so that academic sessions could resume on the tenth of November.
For several weeks, Mali has been experiencing a petrol crisis, particularly in the main city, after militants from an al-Qaeda-linked organization initiated a blockade by attacking transport vehicles on key routes.
The country is landlocked, so all fuel supplies are brought in by truck from adjacent nations such as its western neighbor and the neighboring nation.
Extended lines have been snaking around fuel outlets in Bamako in recent weeks, and the city's normally bustling streets have now apparently become deserted.
The junta-led administration had in recent days assured citizens that it was only a passing concern, but the situation has continued.
Recently, the US Embassy in the capital declared that non-critical embassy personnel and their families would evacuate the country amid the worsening energy crisis and escalating safety issues.
It explained that the fuel disruptions had disrupted the supply of electricity and had the “ability to disturb” the broader protection environment in unforeseen manners.
The West African nation is currently ruled by a army council under the leadership of General GoĂŻta, who took control in a military overthrow in two years ago.
The military government had public backing when it assumed control, vowing to address the ongoing instability prompted by a autonomy movement in the north by the Tuareg population, which was then taken over by jihadist fighters.
The international UN troops and French forces had been stationed in a decade ago to address the increasing militant activity.
The international troops have withdrawn since the military assumed power, and the ruling council has contracted foreign fighters to tackle the violence.
Nonetheless, the militant uprising has persisted and large parts of the north and east of the country remain outside government control.
