The West African nation Suspends Schools and Higher Education Centers as Jihadist Blockade Intensifies Fuel Shortage
Mali has temporarily halted educational facilities and colleges throughout the country due to a acute petrol shortage caused by a blockade on fuel imports enforced by Islamist insurgents.
Top education official stated on state television that all academic facilities would remain closed until November 9th, clarifying that the transportation of staff and pupils had been disrupted by the restrictions.
He stated that the authorities were “making every effort” to resolve the situation so that academic sessions could restart on November 10th.
For weeks, the nation has been grappling with a energy deficit, notably in the capital Bamako, after militants from an al-Qaeda affiliate initiated a restriction by targeting transport vehicles on primary roads.
Mali is surrounded by land, so all petroleum products are transported by road from bordering countries such as Senegal and the neighboring nation.
Long queues have been forming around gas pumps in the capital in the past few weeks, and the city's usually crowded streets have now apparently become deserted.
The military government had earlier this month promised the public that it was only a short-term problem, but the emergency has endured.
Recently, the US Embassy in Bamako stated that secondary diplomatic employees and their dependents would leave Mali amid the intensifying energy crisis and increasing protection worries.
It said that the petroleum supply issues had affected the energy availability and had the “capacity to affect” the general safety conditions in unforeseen manners.
Mali is currently ruled by a army council under the leadership of General Goïta, who seized power in a takeover in recently.
The ruling council had popular support when it assumed control, committing to tackle the ongoing instability triggered by a separatist rebellion in the northern region by Tuareg communities, which was then taken over by jihadist fighters.
The United Nations stabilization force and French forces had been deployed in a decade ago to address the increasing militant activity.
Both have withdrawn since the junta took over, and the current administration has contracted foreign fighters to combat the violence.
Nevertheless, the Islamist rebellion has persisted and large parts of the northern and eastern zones of the state remain beyond state authority.
