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The landlocked West African country has closed educational facilities and universities across the nation due to a severe fuel scarcity resulting from a blockade on petroleum supplies enforced by jihadist fighters.

Minister of Education stated on national broadcast that all learning centers would remain closed until 9 November, noting that the transportation of staff and students had been impacted by the restrictions.

He emphasized that the authorities were “doing everything possible” to resolve the crisis so that educational activities could continue on November 10th.

For a number of weeks, Mali has been facing a petrol crisis, especially in the administrative center, after militants from an al-Qaeda affiliate enforced a restriction by striking tankers on primary roads.

Mali is without coastal access, so all petroleum products are delivered by truck from bordering countries such as Senegal and the neighboring nation.

Extended lines have been forming around gas pumps in the capital in the last several days, and the city's typically busy streets have now allegedly become deserted.

The junta-led administration had earlier this month promised residents that it was only a temporary issue, but the situation has persisted.

Recently, the United States diplomatic office in the capital declared that non-essential diplomatic staff and their families would leave Mali amid the deteriorating fuel shortage and increasing safety issues.

It explained that the energy interruptions had affected the energy availability and had the “potential to disrupt” the overall security situation in unexpected forms.

Mali is presently governed by a military junta headed by Gen Assimi Goïta, who assumed authority in a military overthrow in 2021.

The military government had public backing when it took power, promising to tackle the long-running security crisis caused by a independence uprising in the north by Tuareg communities, which was then taken over by Islamist militants.

The United Nations stabilization force and France's military had been stationed in a decade ago to deal with the escalating insurgency.

Both have left since the new administration came in, and the ruling council has employed Russian mercenaries to address the insecurity.

However, the Islamist rebellion has continued and large parts of the northern and eastern zones of the nation remain outside government control.