🔗 Share this article

The landlocked West African country has suspended educational facilities and higher learning institutions across the nation due to a acute fuel scarcity triggered by a embargo on fuel imports enforced by jihadist fighters.

Minister of Education stated on public media that all academic facilities would remain closed until November 9th, noting that the transportation of employees and students had been affected by the imposed limitations.

He emphasized that the authorities were “doing everything possible” to end the situation so that educational activities could continue on 10 November.

For several weeks, the nation has been facing a fuel shortage, notably in the administrative center, after armed groups from an jihadist network imposed a restriction by striking tankers on key routes.

The country is landlocked, so all fuel supplies are transported by truck from neighboring states such as its western neighbor and the neighboring nation.

Extended lines have been winding around petrol stations in Bamako in recent weeks, and the city's normally bustling streets have now apparently fallen quiet.

The junta-led administration had earlier this month reassured citizens that it was only a temporary issue, but the crisis has continued.

In the past few days, the United States diplomatic office in the capital declared that non-critical embassy personnel and their relatives would depart the country amid the intensifying fuel shortage and escalating security concerns.

It explained that the fuel disruptions had affected the energy availability and had the “potential to disrupt” the overall security situation in unpredictable ways.

The West African nation is now led by a army council under the leadership of the military leader, who took control in a military overthrow in recently.

The ruling council had widespread approval when it came to authority, committing to address the ongoing instability prompted by a separatist rebellion in the north by Tuareg communities, which was then taken over by extremist groups.

The United Nations stabilization force and France's military had been sent in 2013 to deal with the escalating insurgency.

The international troops have departed since the junta took over, and the military government has hired Russian mercenaries to address the insecurity.

Nevertheless, the militant uprising has continued and extensive regions of the northern and eastern territories of the nation remain beyond state authority.