The West African nation Shuts Down Schools and Universities as Islamist Militant Blockade Worsens Petrol Crisis
Mali has temporarily halted schools and colleges across the nation due to a severe energy crisis caused by a blockade on fuel imports imposed by Islamist insurgents.
The Education Minister stated on state television that all education institutions would stay shut until 9 November, clarifying that the transportation of personnel and students had been impacted by the blockade.
He asserted that the government officials were “working tirelessly” to resolve the situation so that educational activities could continue on 10 November.
For a number of weeks, the nation has been experiencing a fuel shortage, notably in the administrative center, after insurgents from an al-Qaeda-linked organization imposed a restriction by targeting fuel trucks on key routes.
The country is landlocked, so all petroleum products are transported by truck from adjacent nations such as its western neighbor and Ivory Coast.
Extended lines have been forming around petrol stations in the capital in recent weeks, and the city's usually crowded streets have now allegedly grown silent.
The military government had previously reassured the public that it was only a passing concern, but the crisis has endured.
Recently, the US Embassy in Bamako declared that secondary diplomatic employees and their dependents would leave the country amid the intensifying energy crisis and increasing security concerns.
It said that the energy interruptions had impacted the energy availability and had the “potential to disrupt” the broader protection environment in unforeseen manners.
The West African nation is now led by a army council led by Gen Assimi Goïta, who seized power in a military overthrow in two years ago.
The military government had popular support when it assumed control, committing to deal with the long-running security crisis triggered by a autonomy movement in the northern region by the Tuareg population, which was then hijacked by Islamist militants.
The UN peacekeeping mission and French forces had been stationed in a decade ago to deal with the increasing militant activity.
The international troops have departed since the junta took over, and the ruling council has employed private military contractors to combat the violence.
Nevertheless, the Islamist rebellion has continued and extensive regions of the northern and eastern zones of the nation remain not under administrative command.
