The West African nation Closes Schools and Higher Education Centers as Jihadist Blockade Worsens Fuel Shortage

Long queues at petrol stations in Mali
Lengthy queues have been appearing around fuel pumps in the last few days

The landlocked West African country has suspended educational facilities and higher learning institutions across the nation due to a severe petrol shortage resulting from a restriction on energy resources implemented by militant groups.

Minister of Education declared on national broadcast that all academic facilities would be inactive until 9 November, clarifying that the movement of employees and pupils had been impacted by the blockade.

He emphasized that the authorities were “making every effort” to end the situation so that classes could continue on 10 November.

For a number of weeks, the nation has been experiencing a energy deficit, notably in the administrative center, after insurgents from an al-Qaeda-linked organization enforced a embargo by striking transport vehicles on major highways.

Mali is surrounded by land, so all fuel supplies are transported by road from adjacent nations such as Senegal and the neighboring nation.

Extended lines have been forming around fuel outlets in Bamako in the past few weeks, and the city's typically busy streets have now allegedly fallen quiet.

The ruling military council had in recent days promised citizens that it was only a temporary issue, but the situation has endured.

Recently, the American diplomatic mission in Bamako stated that secondary diplomatic employees and their dependents would leave the country amid the worsening fuel shortage and growing protection worries.

It said that the fuel disruptions had affected the energy availability and had the “ability to disturb” the overall security situation in unpredictable ways.

The West African nation is now led by a military junta headed by the military leader, who assumed authority in a military overthrow in two years ago.

The ruling council had popular support when it assumed control, vowing to tackle the long-running security crisis caused by a autonomy movement in the northern territories by Tuareg communities, which was then hijacked by jihadist fighters.

The United Nations stabilization force and European soldiers had been sent in previously to deal with the escalating insurgency.

These forces have departed since the junta took over, and the current administration has contracted foreign fighters to combat the instability.

However, the militant uprising has persisted and extensive regions of the northern and eastern territories of the country remain beyond state authority.

Rachael Hudson
Rachael Hudson

Wildlife biologist with a passion for sloth research and environmental advocacy, sharing insights from field studies in Central America.