🔗 Share this article The West African nation Suspends Educational Institutions and Universities as Jihadist Restrictions Exacerbates Petrol Crisis Extended lines have been appearing around gas stations in recent weeks Mali has suspended educational facilities and universities countrywide due to a acute fuel scarcity resulting from a blockade on petroleum supplies enforced by Islamist insurgents. Top education official stated on public media that all academic facilities would remain closed until 9 November, noting that the travel of staff and learners had been impacted by the imposed limitations. He asserted that the authorities were “doing everything possible” to end the situation so that educational activities could resume on the tenth of November. For a number of weeks, the nation has been grappling with a energy deficit, especially in the administrative center, after militants from an jihadist network enforced a blockade by striking transport vehicles on primary roads. Mali is landlocked, so all energy resources are transported by road from bordering countries such as Senegal and the neighboring nation. Extended lines have been snaking around fuel outlets in the capital in the past few weeks, and the city's normally bustling streets have now allegedly become deserted. The ruling military council had in recent days reassured the public that it was only a passing concern, but the emergency has persisted. In the past few days, the US Embassy in the capital stated that non-essential diplomatic staff and their relatives would depart the country amid the worsening petrol scarcity and increasing safety issues. It explained that the petroleum supply issues had impacted the power distribution and had the “ability to disturb” the broader protection environment in unpredictable ways. Mali is currently ruled by a armed forces administration under the leadership of Gen Assimi Goïta, who assumed authority 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 caused by a independence uprising in the northern territories by Tuareg communities, which was then hijacked by extremist groups. The UN peacekeeping mission and French forces had been sent in a decade ago to deal with the escalating insurgency. Both have withdrawn since the military assumed power, and the ruling council has contracted Russian mercenaries to tackle the instability. Nonetheless, the jihadist insurgency has continued and extensive regions of the north and east of the nation remain outside government control.