The West African nation Closes Schools and Higher Education Centers as Islamist Militant Restrictions Intensifies Fuel Crisis
Mali has closed educational facilities and colleges countrywide due to a critical energy crisis resulting from a embargo on energy resources implemented by jihadist fighters.
The Education Minister stated on public media that all learning centers would be inactive until November 9th, noting that the travel of staff and pupils had been affected by the imposed limitations.
He asserted that the government officials were “working tirelessly” to end the situation so that educational activities could restart on 10 November.
For several weeks, Mali has been facing a petrol crisis, especially in the administrative center, after militants from an jihadist network enforced a embargo by striking tankers on primary roads.
Mali is landlocked, so all fuel supplies are brought in by road from bordering countries such as Senegal and CĂ´te d'Ivoire.
Extended lines have been forming around petrol stations in the main city in recent weeks, and the city's usually crowded streets have now apparently fallen quiet.
The junta-led administration had in recent days reassured the public that it was only a short-term problem, but the situation has continued.
Recently, the United States diplomatic office in the capital declared that secondary diplomatic employees and their dependents would evacuate the country amid the deteriorating energy crisis and growing protection worries.
It said that the fuel disruptions had affected the power distribution and had the “ability to disturb” the general safety conditions in unexpected forms.
Mali is now led by a military junta led by General GoĂŻta, who seized power in a coup in recently.
The junta had public backing when it assumed control, vowing to deal with the long-running security crisis prompted by a independence uprising in the northern territories by Tuareg communities, which was then hijacked by jihadist fighters.
The international UN troops and European soldiers had been stationed in previously to combat the increasing militant activity.
These forces have withdrawn since the junta took over, and the ruling council has contracted private military contractors to tackle the instability.
Nonetheless, the jihadist insurgency has continued and extensive regions of the northern and eastern territories of the country remain beyond state authority.
