🔗 Share this article The West African nation Closes Schools and Universities as Jihadist Restrictions Intensifies Petrol Crisis Lengthy queues have been appearing around fuel pumps in the last few days The landlocked West African country has closed schools and higher learning institutions throughout the country due to a severe fuel scarcity caused by a blockade on fuel imports implemented by militant groups. Minister of Education stated on public media that all learning centers would be inactive until 9 November, noting that the travel of staff and students had been disrupted by the blockade. He emphasized that the government officials were “working tirelessly” to end the emergency so that academic sessions could restart on 10 November. For several weeks, the nation has been grappling with a fuel shortage, especially in the capital Bamako, after militants from an al-Qaeda affiliate initiated a blockade by attacking tankers on key routes. Mali is landlocked, so all energy resources are brought in by land routes from adjacent nations such as its western neighbor and the neighboring nation. Extended lines have been winding around gas pumps in the main city in the past few weeks, and the city's normally bustling streets have now reportedly become deserted. The military government had previously promised the public that it was only a passing concern, but the situation has endured. Recently, the American diplomatic mission in the capital announced that secondary diplomatic employees and their families would leave the country amid the intensifying energy crisis and increasing security concerns. It noted that the fuel disruptions had affected the supply of electricity and had the “potential to disrupt” the overall security situation in unforeseen manners. Mali is now led by a armed forces administration under the leadership of Gen Assimi Goïta, who seized power in a takeover in 2021. The military government had popular support when it assumed control, committing to tackle the protracted safety emergency prompted by a autonomy movement in the northern region by the Tuareg population, which was then taken over by extremist groups. The United Nations stabilization force and French forces had been deployed in 2013 to deal with the escalating insurgency. The international troops have departed since the military assumed power, and the current administration has hired foreign fighters to combat the insecurity. However, the Islamist rebellion has continued and significant areas of the north and east of the nation remain outside government control.