🔗 Share this article The West African nation Closes Schools and Universities as Jihadist Blockade Worsens Petrol Crisis Extended queues have been appearing around fuel pumps in the last few days Mali has suspended schools and higher learning institutions countrywide due to a acute energy crisis triggered by a embargo on fuel imports implemented by Islamist insurgents. The Education Minister stated on public media that all learning centers would stay shut until November 9th, explaining that the travel of staff and pupils had been affected by the imposed limitations. He emphasized that the administration were “doing everything possible” to resolve the emergency so that academic sessions could resume on November 10th. For weeks, the nation has been grappling with a fuel shortage, particularly in the main city, after insurgents from an jihadist network enforced a embargo by striking transport vehicles on primary roads. Mali is without coastal access, so all petroleum products are delivered by truck from bordering countries such as its western neighbor and Côte d'Ivoire. Long queues have been winding around fuel outlets in Bamako in the past few weeks, and the city's usually crowded streets have now allegedly fallen quiet. The junta-led administration had earlier this month assured residents that it was only a passing concern, but the situation has continued. In the past few days, the US Embassy in Bamako declared that secondary diplomatic employees and their dependents would depart Mali amid the worsening petrol scarcity and growing safety issues. It said that the fuel disruptions had affected the energy availability and had the “ability to disturb” the broader protection environment in unforeseen manners. The West African nation is currently ruled by a armed forces administration headed by General Goïta, who took control in a coup in recently. The military government had widespread approval when it assumed control, committing to deal with the long-running security crisis caused by a autonomy movement in the northern territories by the Tuareg population, which was then taken over by jihadist fighters. The UN peacekeeping mission and European soldiers had been sent in previously to combat the increasing militant activity. Both have withdrawn since the new administration came in, and the military government has hired foreign fighters to address the insecurity. However, the Islamist rebellion has continued and significant areas of the northern and eastern zones of the nation remain not under administrative command.