The West African nation Shuts Down Schools and Higher Education Centers as Jihadist Restrictions Worsens Fuel Shortage
The landlocked West African country has closed educational facilities and colleges across the nation due to a severe energy crisis triggered by a embargo on energy resources enforced by Islamist insurgents.
Minister of Education declared on national broadcast that all education institutions would stay shut until November 9th, clarifying that the travel of personnel and students had been disrupted by the blockade.
He emphasized that the authorities were “making every effort” to alleviate the situation so that classes could continue on the tenth of November.
For several weeks, the nation has been experiencing a fuel shortage, notably in the capital Bamako, after militants from an al-Qaeda affiliate enforced a blockade by striking tankers on major highways.
The country is surrounded by land, so all fuel supplies are transported by truck from bordering countries such as Senegal and Ivory Coast.
Long queues have been snaking around petrol stations in Bamako in the last several days, and the city's normally bustling streets have now allegedly fallen quiet.
The military government had earlier this month promised residents that it was only a temporary issue, but the situation has endured.
In the past few days, the US Embassy in the capital stated that secondary diplomatic employees and their relatives would depart the country amid the intensifying fuel shortage and escalating safety issues.
It said that the petroleum supply issues had impacted the supply of electricity and had the “ability to disturb” the overall security situation in unforeseen manners.
The West African nation is now led by a military junta led by General Goïta, who took control in a military overthrow in two years ago.
The ruling council had popular support when it assumed control, committing to deal with the long-running security crisis prompted by a separatist rebellion in the north by the Tuareg population, which was then taken over by jihadist fighters.
The international UN troops and France's military had been stationed in previously to deal with the escalating insurgency.
The international troops have left since the junta took over, and the ruling council has hired foreign fighters to tackle the insecurity.
Nonetheless, the militant uprising has endured and significant areas of the north and east of the country remain not under administrative command.
