The West African nation Shuts Down Schools and Universities as Jihadist Blockade Worsens Petrol Emergency

Long queues at petrol stations in Mali
Extended queues have been appearing around gas stations in recent weeks

The landlocked West African country has temporarily halted educational facilities and higher learning institutions across the nation due to a acute petrol shortage resulting from a embargo on fuel imports implemented by militant groups.

Minister of Education stated on public media that all learning centers would stay shut until November 9th, noting that the travel of employees and students had been disrupted by the restrictions.

He stated that the administration were “working tirelessly” to resolve the emergency so that educational activities could resume on November 10th.

For a number of weeks, Mali has been experiencing a energy deficit, notably in the administrative center, after militants from an jihadist network imposed a embargo by targeting fuel trucks on major highways.

Mali is landlocked, so all petroleum products are brought in by land routes from adjacent nations such as Senegal and Ivory Coast.

Extended lines have been winding around fuel outlets in the main city in recent weeks, and the city's usually crowded streets have now allegedly fallen quiet.

The junta-led administration had in recent days assured citizens that it was only a temporary issue, but the situation has continued.

Last week, the American diplomatic mission in the capital declared that secondary diplomatic employees and their families would leave the country amid the worsening energy crisis and increasing security concerns.

It said that the fuel disruptions had affected the power distribution and had the “ability to disturb” the broader protection environment in unpredictable ways.

The West African nation is now led by a army council led by General GoĂŻta, who assumed authority in a coup in 2021.

The military government had public backing when it took power, promising to tackle the ongoing instability prompted by a autonomy movement in the northern territories by ethnic Tuaregs, which was then taken over by extremist groups.

The United Nations stabilization force and French forces had been stationed in previously to deal with the escalating insurgency.

The international troops have left since the military assumed power, and the ruling council has hired private military contractors to combat the insecurity.

Nevertheless, the militant uprising has continued and extensive regions of the northern and eastern zones of the nation remain outside government control.

Dean Wilson
Dean Wilson

A film critic and historian with over a decade of experience, specializing in independent cinema and international films.