🔗 Share this article The West African nation Shuts Down Schools and Higher Education Centers as Jihadist Blockade Intensifies Petrol Crisis Extended queues have been snaking around petrol stations in the past few weeks The landlocked West African country has suspended educational facilities and colleges across the nation due to a critical petrol shortage resulting from a blockade on petroleum supplies imposed by militant groups. The Education Minister declared on national broadcast that all learning centers would remain closed until 9 November, clarifying that the transportation of personnel and pupils had been affected by the imposed limitations. He asserted that the authorities were “doing everything possible” to resolve the situation so that academic sessions could continue on the tenth of November. For a number of weeks, Mali has been facing a energy deficit, particularly in the capital Bamako, after insurgents from an jihadist network imposed a restriction by striking tankers on key routes. The country is without coastal access, so all petroleum products are transported by road from neighboring states such as its western neighbor and Côte d'Ivoire. Extended lines have been winding around gas pumps in Bamako in the last several days, and the city's usually crowded streets have now reportedly fallen quiet. The ruling military council had in recent days promised citizens that it was only a passing concern, but the situation has endured. Recently, the US Embassy in Bamako announced that non-critical embassy personnel and their dependents would depart Mali amid the worsening fuel shortage and growing security concerns. It explained that the petroleum supply issues had affected the supply of electricity and had the “capacity to affect” the broader protection environment in unforeseen manners. Mali is presently governed by a armed forces administration led by the military leader, who seized power in a coup in recently. The junta had popular support when it assumed control, committing to tackle the long-running security crisis triggered by a separatist rebellion in the north by Tuareg communities, which was then co-opted by jihadist fighters. The UN peacekeeping mission and France's military had been stationed in 2013 to combat the increasing militant activity. The international troops have departed since the junta took over, and the current administration has employed Russian mercenaries to combat the violence. Nevertheless, the jihadist insurgency has persisted and large parts of the north and east of the state remain not under administrative command.