Mali Suspends Schools and Higher Education Centers as Jihadist Restrictions Worsens Petrol Crisis
The landlocked West African country has temporarily halted educational facilities and colleges countrywide due to a severe petrol shortage triggered by a embargo on energy resources implemented by Islamist insurgents.
Top education official stated on public media that all education institutions would remain closed until November 9th, clarifying that the transportation of personnel and pupils had been disrupted by the imposed limitations.
He emphasized that the authorities were “making every effort” to alleviate the situation so that classes could restart on 10 November.
For several weeks, Mali has been facing a petrol crisis, especially in the administrative center, after armed groups from an al-Qaeda affiliate imposed a restriction by striking fuel trucks on key routes.
The country is without coastal access, so all petroleum products are brought in by truck from adjacent nations such as Senegal and Ivory Coast.
Extended lines have been winding around gas pumps in the capital in the past few weeks, and the city's usually crowded streets have now allegedly fallen quiet.
The junta-led administration had in recent days reassured residents that it was only a short-term problem, but the crisis has persisted.
Last week, the United States diplomatic office in the capital declared that non-critical embassy personnel and their families would depart Mali amid the deteriorating energy crisis and growing security concerns.
It said that the petroleum supply issues had disrupted the supply of electricity and had the “potential to disrupt” the broader protection environment in unexpected forms.
The West African nation is presently governed by a army council under the leadership of General GoĂŻta, who assumed authority in a takeover in two years ago.
The junta had public backing when it came to authority, vowing to tackle the protracted safety emergency caused by a independence uprising in the north by the Tuareg population, which was then taken over by jihadist fighters.
The United Nations stabilization force and European soldiers had been sent in previously to combat the growing rebellion.
Both have withdrawn since the military assumed power, and the ruling council has contracted foreign fighters to address the violence.
Nevertheless, the Islamist rebellion has continued and large parts of the northern and eastern territories of the country remain not under administrative command.
