🔗 Share this article The West African nation Shuts Down Schools and Universities as Islamist Militant Blockade Intensifies Petrol Shortage Lengthy queues have been forming around fuel pumps in the last few days The landlocked West African country has temporarily halted schools and universities countrywide due to a critical fuel scarcity caused by a embargo on fuel imports imposed by jihadist fighters. Minister of Education stated on public media that all learning centers would be inactive until the ninth of November, explaining that the travel of personnel and pupils had been impacted by the imposed limitations. He asserted that the government officials were “doing everything possible” to resolve the situation so that educational activities could restart on November 10th. For weeks, Mali has been experiencing a petrol crisis, particularly in the capital Bamako, after insurgents from an jihadist network enforced a embargo by targeting transport vehicles on major highways. Mali is landlocked, so all petroleum products are brought in by road from adjacent nations such as Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire. Lengthy waits have been forming around petrol stations in Bamako in the past few weeks, and the city's typically busy streets have now reportedly become deserted. The military government had in recent days reassured residents that it was only a temporary issue, but the emergency has continued. Last week, the American diplomatic mission in Bamako announced that secondary diplomatic employees and their dependents would evacuate Mali amid the deteriorating fuel shortage and growing security concerns. It explained that the fuel disruptions had impacted the supply of electricity and had the “ability to disturb” the overall security situation in unpredictable ways. The West African nation is presently governed by a army council headed by Gen Assimi Goïta, who assumed authority in a takeover in 2021. The ruling council had widespread approval when it came to authority, promising to address the long-running security crisis prompted by a separatist rebellion in the north by Tuareg communities, which was then taken over by Islamist militants. The United Nations stabilization force and European soldiers had been sent in 2013 to deal with the escalating insurgency. The international troops have withdrawn since the junta took over, and the current administration has contracted private military contractors to tackle the instability. Nevertheless, the Islamist rebellion has persisted and large parts of the northern and eastern zones of the state remain outside government control.