The West African nation Closes Educational Institutions and Universities as Islamist Militant Blockade Exacerbates Fuel Crisis
Mali has temporarily halted educational facilities and universities countrywide due to a acute fuel scarcity caused by a restriction on energy resources enforced by Islamist insurgents.
Top education official declared on state television that all academic facilities would stay shut until 9 November, clarifying that the travel of personnel and students had been disrupted by the imposed limitations.
He stated that the administration were “working tirelessly” to alleviate the emergency so that educational activities could restart on November 10th.
For several weeks, the nation has been experiencing a petrol crisis, especially in the capital Bamako, after armed groups from an jihadist network imposed a restriction by striking transport vehicles on major highways.
The country is landlocked, so all fuel supplies are brought in by land routes from neighboring states such as its western neighbor and Côte d'Ivoire.
Extended lines have been forming around fuel outlets in the main city in the past few weeks, and the city's typically busy streets have now reportedly become deserted.
The military government had earlier this month assured residents that it was only a short-term problem, but the crisis has continued.
Recently, the US Embassy in Bamako stated that secondary diplomatic employees and their relatives would depart the country amid the intensifying petrol scarcity and growing security concerns.
It noted that the energy interruptions had impacted the supply of electricity and had the “potential to disrupt” the overall security situation in unpredictable ways.
Mali is currently ruled by a armed forces administration led by General Goïta, who assumed authority in a coup in two years ago.
The ruling council had public backing when it assumed control, committing to deal with the protracted safety emergency caused by a separatist rebellion in the northern territories by Tuareg communities, which was then hijacked by jihadist fighters.
The international UN troops and European soldiers had been sent in a decade ago to combat the increasing militant activity.
These forces have departed since the military assumed power, and the current administration has contracted private military contractors to address the violence.
Nevertheless, the jihadist insurgency has persisted and extensive regions of the north and east of the country remain beyond state authority.
