Mali Closes Schools and Higher Education Centers as Islamist Militant Blockade Exacerbates Petrol Crisis
Mali has temporarily halted educational facilities and universities countrywide due to a severe fuel scarcity resulting from a embargo on energy resources implemented by jihadist fighters.
The Education Minister stated on national broadcast that all learning centers would be inactive until November 9th, noting that the travel of personnel and learners had been affected by the imposed limitations.
He stated that the government officials were “doing everything possible” to end the crisis so that academic sessions could resume on the tenth of November.
For several weeks, Mali has been experiencing a energy deficit, notably in the capital Bamako, after armed groups from an jihadist network enforced a blockade by targeting transport vehicles on major highways.
Mali is landlocked, so all fuel supplies are delivered by truck from adjacent nations such as its western neighbor and Côte d'Ivoire.
Extended lines have been forming around fuel outlets in the capital in recent weeks, and the city's usually crowded streets have now reportedly fallen quiet.
The ruling military council had in recent days promised residents that it was only a short-term problem, but the crisis has endured.
Recently, the American diplomatic mission in the capital announced that secondary diplomatic employees and their relatives would evacuate the country amid the deteriorating fuel shortage and growing safety issues.
It noted that the petroleum supply issues had affected the power distribution and had the “ability to disturb” the overall security situation in unpredictable ways.
Mali is presently governed by a army council led by General Goïta, who assumed authority in a military overthrow in two years ago.
The ruling council had public backing when it assumed control, committing to deal with the protracted safety emergency triggered by a separatist rebellion in the northern region by the Tuareg population, which was then hijacked by extremist groups.
The United Nations stabilization force and French forces had been deployed in a decade ago to combat the growing rebellion.
The international troops have withdrawn since the new administration came in, and the ruling council has contracted Russian mercenaries to combat the instability.
However, the militant uprising has persisted and extensive regions of the northern and eastern territories of the country remain not under administrative command.