Mali Shuts Down Educational Institutions and Higher Education Centers as Islamist Militant Blockade Worsens Fuel Crisis
Mali has temporarily halted educational facilities and colleges across the nation due to a severe petrol shortage triggered by a embargo on fuel imports imposed by Islamist insurgents.
Top education official declared on public media that all education institutions would stay shut until 9 November, clarifying that the travel of personnel and learners had been affected by the restrictions.
He asserted that the government officials were “working tirelessly” to alleviate the emergency so that classes could restart on 10 November.
For weeks, Mali has been grappling with a petrol crisis, notably in the administrative center, after insurgents from an al-Qaeda affiliate initiated a embargo by attacking fuel trucks on key routes.
The country is without coastal access, so all fuel supplies are transported by road from neighboring states such as its western neighbor and Côte d'Ivoire.
Extended lines have been snaking around fuel outlets in the main city in the past few weeks, and the city's normally bustling streets have now reportedly become deserted.
The ruling military council had in recent days assured the public that it was only a short-term problem, but the emergency has endured.
Recently, the US Embassy in Bamako declared that secondary diplomatic employees and their families would depart the country amid the worsening fuel shortage and growing security concerns.
It explained that the petroleum supply issues had impacted the power distribution and had the “ability to disturb” the general safety conditions in unforeseen manners.
The West African nation is presently governed by a army council headed by Gen Assimi Goïta, who took control in a takeover in two years ago.
The military government had popular support when it assumed control, committing to deal with the protracted safety emergency triggered by a independence uprising in the northern territories by the Tuareg population, which was then taken over by extremist groups.
The international UN troops and French forces had been stationed in a decade ago to deal with the increasing militant activity.
Both have departed since the junta took over, and the ruling council has contracted foreign fighters to combat the insecurity.
Nevertheless, the Islamist rebellion has endured and extensive regions of the north and east of the country remain outside government control.
