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The landlocked West African country has suspended educational facilities and colleges countrywide due to a severe fuel scarcity caused by a embargo on fuel imports imposed by jihadist fighters.

The Education Minister declared on national broadcast that all learning centers would be inactive until 9 November, noting that the transportation of staff and students had been impacted by the restrictions.

He stated that the administration were “making every effort” to resolve the situation so that classes could resume on November 10th.

For a number of weeks, the nation has been experiencing a energy deficit, especially in the main city, after insurgents from an al-Qaeda affiliate imposed a embargo by striking transport vehicles on major highways.

The country is without coastal access, so all petroleum products are brought in by road from neighboring states such as Senegal and Ivory Coast.

Extended lines have been snaking around gas pumps in Bamako in the past few weeks, and the city's normally bustling streets have now reportedly grown silent.

The junta-led administration had earlier this month promised residents that it was only a passing concern, but the crisis has persisted.

In the past few days, the American diplomatic mission in Bamako announced that non-essential diplomatic staff and their relatives would evacuate Mali amid the worsening fuel shortage and increasing safety issues.

It said that the petroleum supply issues had affected the energy availability and had the “capacity to affect” the broader protection environment in unexpected forms.

Mali is currently ruled by a military junta under the leadership of the military leader, who seized power in a takeover in 2021.

The junta had popular support when it assumed control, committing to tackle the ongoing instability triggered by a autonomy movement in the north by the Tuareg population, which was then co-opted by extremist groups.

The UN peacekeeping mission and French forces had been sent in 2013 to deal with the increasing militant activity.

These forces have departed since the new administration came in, and the ruling council has contracted foreign fighters to address the insecurity.

Nevertheless, the militant uprising has continued and significant areas of the north and east of the country remain not under administrative command.