🔗 Share this article The West African nation Closes Educational Institutions and Higher Education Centers as Islamist Militant Blockade Intensifies Fuel Crisis Lengthy lines have been appearing around fuel pumps in the last few days Mali has closed educational facilities and higher learning institutions throughout the country due to a critical fuel scarcity triggered by a embargo on energy resources imposed by Islamist insurgents. Minister of Education announced on public media that all education institutions would remain closed until November 9th, noting that the transportation of employees and pupils had been affected by the imposed limitations. He asserted that the authorities were “making every effort” to resolve the situation so that academic sessions could continue on 10 November. For a number of weeks, Mali has been facing a fuel shortage, particularly in the capital Bamako, after insurgents from an al-Qaeda-linked organization imposed a restriction by attacking fuel trucks on key routes. The country is without coastal access, so all fuel supplies are transported by land routes from neighboring states such as its western neighbor and the neighboring nation. Long queues have been forming around gas pumps in the capital in the last several days, and the city's normally bustling streets have now reportedly grown silent. The military government had earlier this month promised citizens that it was only a temporary issue, but the situation has endured. Recently, the United States diplomatic office in Bamako declared that non-critical embassy personnel and their relatives would leave Mali amid the intensifying petrol scarcity and escalating protection worries. It explained that the energy interruptions had disrupted the supply of electricity and had the “ability to disturb” the general safety conditions in unexpected forms. Mali is currently ruled by a armed forces administration led by Gen Assimi Goïta, who assumed authority in a coup in 2021. The junta had popular support when it took power, committing to address the ongoing instability caused by a separatist rebellion in the northern territories by the Tuareg population, which was then co-opted by Islamist militants. The UN peacekeeping mission and European soldiers had been sent in 2013 to combat the increasing militant activity. The international troops have left since the junta took over, and the current administration has contracted private military contractors to tackle the instability. However, the jihadist insurgency has continued and large parts of the north and east of the country remain outside government control.