The West African nation Shuts Down Educational Institutions and Higher Education Centers as Islamist Militant Restrictions Worsens Petrol Shortage
The landlocked West African country has closed schools and colleges throughout the country due to a severe fuel scarcity triggered by a embargo on petroleum supplies imposed by jihadist fighters.
Minister of Education declared on public media that all learning centers would be inactive until the ninth of November, clarifying that the transportation of employees and students had been impacted by the restrictions.
He asserted that the government officials were “making every effort” to alleviate the crisis so that educational activities could continue on the tenth of November.
For weeks, the nation has been facing a petrol crisis, notably in the administrative center, after armed groups from an jihadist network imposed a restriction by attacking fuel trucks on key routes.
Mali is landlocked, so all petroleum products are brought in by truck from adjacent nations such as Senegal and the neighboring nation.
Long queues have been forming around gas pumps in the main city in the past few weeks, and the city's normally bustling streets have now reportedly grown silent.
The ruling military council had in recent days assured the public that it was only a passing concern, but the situation has continued.
Last week, the US Embassy in Bamako stated that non-essential diplomatic staff and their relatives would evacuate Mali amid the worsening energy crisis and increasing security concerns.
It explained that the fuel disruptions had disrupted the energy availability and had the “ability to disturb” the broader protection environment in unpredictable ways.
Mali is currently ruled by a military junta under the leadership of the military leader, who assumed authority in a military overthrow in recently.
The junta had public backing when it assumed control, promising to deal with the long-running security crisis triggered by a independence uprising in the northern territories by ethnic Tuaregs, which was then taken over by jihadist fighters.
The UN peacekeeping mission and European soldiers had been stationed in previously to combat the increasing militant activity.
Both have left since the military assumed power, and the military government has contracted private military contractors to tackle the insecurity.
Nevertheless, the militant uprising has persisted and large parts of the north and east of the nation remain outside government control.
