Mali Closes Educational Institutions and Higher Education Centers as Islamist Militant Blockade Intensifies Fuel Emergency
Mali has temporarily halted schools and colleges throughout the country due to a severe fuel scarcity triggered by a embargo on fuel imports imposed by jihadist fighters.
Minister of Education declared on public media that all academic facilities would remain closed until November 9th, clarifying that the movement of personnel and learners had been affected by the restrictions.
He emphasized that the authorities were “making every effort” to end the emergency so that educational activities could continue on 10 November.
For several weeks, Mali has been facing a petrol crisis, particularly in the capital Bamako, after armed groups from an jihadist network initiated a blockade by targeting tankers on major highways.
The country is landlocked, so all petroleum products are delivered by land routes from neighboring states such as its western neighbor and Côte d'Ivoire.
Extended lines have been winding around petrol stations in the main city in the last several days, and the city's typically busy streets have now reportedly grown silent.
The junta-led administration had previously promised residents that it was only a passing concern, but the situation has continued.
In the past few days, the US Embassy in the capital announced that non-critical embassy personnel and their dependents would leave Mali amid the worsening fuel shortage and increasing safety issues.
It explained that the petroleum supply issues had impacted the energy availability and had the “capacity to affect” the general safety conditions in unforeseen manners.
The West African nation is currently ruled by a army council under the leadership of General Goïta, who seized power in a takeover in recently.
The junta had widespread approval when it assumed control, committing to address the long-running security crisis prompted by a separatist rebellion in the north by ethnic Tuaregs, which was then hijacked by jihadist fighters.
The United Nations stabilization force and French forces had been stationed in 2013 to deal with the escalating insurgency.
The international troops have withdrawn since the junta took over, and the ruling council has contracted foreign fighters to tackle the instability.
Nonetheless, the militant uprising has continued and large parts of the north and east of the state remain outside government control.
