Mali Closes Schools and Universities as Islamist Militant Blockade Worsens Petrol Emergency
Mali has suspended educational facilities and universities throughout the country due to a critical fuel scarcity resulting from a blockade on fuel imports imposed by militant groups.
Minister of Education declared on national broadcast that all education institutions would stay shut until November 9th, explaining that the travel of employees and learners had been impacted by the blockade.
He asserted that the authorities were “doing everything possible” to end the crisis so that academic sessions could continue on November 10th.
For a number of weeks, the nation has been grappling with a fuel shortage, especially in the capital Bamako, after armed groups from an jihadist network initiated a restriction by attacking transport vehicles on key routes.
The country is landlocked, so all petroleum products are delivered by truck from bordering countries such as Senegal and Ivory Coast.
Extended lines have been forming around gas pumps in Bamako in recent weeks, and the city's normally bustling streets have now reportedly fallen quiet.
The junta-led administration had previously reassured the public that it was only a temporary issue, but the situation has persisted.
Recently, the US Embassy in Bamako announced that secondary diplomatic employees and their dependents would leave Mali amid the worsening petrol scarcity and escalating protection worries.
It explained that the fuel disruptions had affected the power distribution and had the “ability to disturb” the general safety conditions in unexpected forms.
Mali is presently governed by a army council under the leadership of the military leader, who assumed authority in a coup in 2021.
The junta had widespread approval when it took power, vowing to tackle the ongoing instability prompted by a autonomy movement in the northern territories by Tuareg communities, which was then taken over by Islamist militants.
The UN peacekeeping mission and French forces had been deployed in a decade ago to address the increasing militant activity.
The international troops have departed since the junta took over, and the current administration has contracted private military contractors to address the insecurity.
Nevertheless, the Islamist rebellion has continued and extensive regions of the north and east of the nation remain not under administrative command.
