🔗 Share this article The West African nation Suspends Schools and Higher Education Centers as Islamist Militant Restrictions Intensifies Fuel Shortage Lengthy lines have been snaking around gas stations in recent weeks Mali has suspended schools and universities throughout the country due to a severe fuel scarcity caused by a restriction on energy resources enforced by jihadist fighters. Top education official declared on national broadcast that all learning centers would stay shut until November 9th, noting that the transportation of personnel and learners had been affected by the restrictions. He emphasized that the government officials were “working tirelessly” to end the emergency so that academic sessions could restart on 10 November. For weeks, the nation has been experiencing a energy deficit, notably in the capital Bamako, after armed groups from an al-Qaeda affiliate enforced a restriction by targeting transport vehicles on primary roads. Mali is surrounded by land, so all fuel supplies are delivered by truck from bordering countries such as Senegal and Ivory Coast. Extended lines have been forming around fuel outlets in the main city in the last several days, and the city's normally bustling streets have now reportedly fallen quiet. The military government 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 dependents would depart Mali amid the deteriorating petrol scarcity and escalating safety issues. It explained that the petroleum supply issues had affected the power distribution and had the “capacity to affect” the overall security situation in unexpected forms. Mali is now led by a army council led by General Goïta, who took control in a takeover in recently. The military government had popular support when it took power, committing to address the long-running security crisis caused by a separatist rebellion in the north by ethnic Tuaregs, which was then hijacked by extremist groups. The UN peacekeeping mission and European soldiers had been stationed in 2013 to deal with the increasing militant activity. These forces have withdrawn since the military assumed power, and the military government has contracted private military contractors to combat the violence. However, the jihadist insurgency has continued and large parts of the north and east of the nation remain beyond state authority.