🔗 Share this article Mali Shuts Down Schools and Higher Education Centers as Islamist Militant Blockade Intensifies Fuel Emergency Lengthy queues have been snaking around petrol stations in recent weeks The landlocked West African country has temporarily halted educational facilities and colleges countrywide due to a critical energy crisis triggered by a embargo on fuel imports implemented by Islamist insurgents. Minister of Education announced on public media that all education institutions would remain closed until November 9th, clarifying that the movement of personnel and learners had been disrupted by the restrictions. He emphasized that the government officials were “making every effort” to alleviate the crisis so that classes could continue on November 10th. For a number of weeks, the nation has been grappling with a energy deficit, notably in the administrative center, after militants from an jihadist network imposed a embargo by striking fuel trucks on primary roads. The country is surrounded by land, so all energy resources are brought in by truck from adjacent nations such as its western neighbor and the neighboring nation. Extended lines have been snaking around fuel outlets in the capital in recent weeks, and the city's normally bustling streets have now allegedly grown silent. The military government had in recent days promised the public that it was only a passing concern, but the emergency has continued. Recently, the American diplomatic mission in Bamako declared that non-critical embassy personnel and their dependents would evacuate the country amid the deteriorating energy crisis and growing security concerns. It explained that the fuel disruptions had impacted the power distribution and had the “potential to disrupt” the broader protection environment in unpredictable ways. Mali is currently ruled by a armed forces administration led by General Goïta, who took control in a takeover in two years ago. The junta had popular support when it assumed control, committing to tackle the long-running security crisis triggered by a separatist rebellion in the northern region by ethnic Tuaregs, which was then hijacked by extremist groups. The United Nations stabilization force and France's military had been stationed in previously to deal with the increasing militant activity. Both have departed since the new administration came in, and the current administration has hired foreign fighters to combat the instability. However, the Islamist rebellion has persisted and significant areas of the north and east of the state remain beyond state authority.