The West African nation Shuts Down Educational Institutions and Universities as Jihadist Restrictions Intensifies Fuel Shortage
Mali has temporarily halted schools and higher learning institutions throughout the country due to a critical petrol shortage resulting from a embargo on energy resources imposed by jihadist fighters.
Top education official stated on state television that all learning centers would be inactive until the ninth of November, clarifying that the movement of employees and pupils had been affected by the imposed limitations.
He emphasized that the authorities were “doing everything possible” to resolve the emergency so that classes could resume on 10 November.
For a number of weeks, Mali has been facing a fuel shortage, notably in the main city, after armed groups from an al-Qaeda-linked organization enforced a restriction by targeting transport vehicles on major highways.
Mali is surrounded by land, so all energy resources are delivered by truck from adjacent nations such as Senegal and the neighboring nation.
Extended lines have been snaking around fuel outlets in Bamako in recent weeks, and the city's typically busy streets have now allegedly fallen quiet.
The ruling military council had previously assured citizens that it was only a passing concern, but the situation has persisted.
Recently, the American diplomatic mission in Bamako declared that non-critical embassy personnel and their families would evacuate Mali amid the deteriorating petrol scarcity and growing safety issues.
It said that the petroleum supply issues had disrupted the energy availability and had the “capacity to affect” the overall security situation in unforeseen manners.
Mali is now led by a army council headed by Gen Assimi Goïta, who took control in a military overthrow in two years ago.
The ruling council had widespread approval when it came to authority, vowing to tackle the long-running security crisis prompted by a separatist rebellion in the north by Tuareg communities, which was then co-opted by jihadist fighters.
The international UN troops and European soldiers had been sent in previously to deal with the escalating insurgency.
The international troops have departed since the military assumed power, and the military government has contracted foreign fighters to tackle the insecurity.
Nonetheless, the Islamist rebellion has continued and large parts of the north and east of the country remain not under administrative command.
