Mali Suspends Schools and Universities as Jihadist Blockade Worsens Fuel Shortage

Mali has closed schools and universities throughout the country due to a severe petrol shortage caused by a restriction on fuel imports imposed by Islamist insurgents.

Minister of Education declared on state television that all education institutions would remain closed until 9 November, clarifying that the transportation of staff and pupils had been impacted by the imposed limitations.

He asserted that the administration were “working tirelessly” to end the emergency so that classes could restart on November 10th.

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 primary roads.

The country is surrounded by land, so all petroleum products are transported by truck from bordering countries such as its western neighbor and the neighboring nation.

Long queues have been winding around gas pumps in the main city in the past few weeks, and the city's usually crowded streets have now apparently fallen quiet.

The military government had earlier this month assured the public that it was only a temporary issue, but the emergency has endured.

Last week, the United States diplomatic office in the capital stated that secondary diplomatic employees and their dependents would depart Mali amid the deteriorating energy crisis and increasing protection worries.

It explained that the petroleum supply issues had impacted the energy availability and had the “capacity to affect” the general safety conditions in unexpected forms.

Mali is now led by a military junta led by General Goïta, who assumed authority in a coup in 2021.

The military government had public backing when it assumed control, committing to deal with the protracted safety emergency triggered by a separatist rebellion in the north by ethnic Tuaregs, which was then co-opted by Islamist militants.

The international UN troops and European soldiers had been sent in 2013 to address the increasing militant activity.

These forces have departed since the new administration came in, and the ruling council has employed foreign fighters to address the violence.

However, the Islamist rebellion has persisted and extensive regions of the north and east of the country remain not under administrative command.