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Mali has closed educational facilities and higher learning institutions across the nation due to a critical petrol shortage caused by a blockade on fuel imports implemented by jihadist fighters.

The Education Minister stated on public media that all education institutions would stay shut until November 9th, explaining that the travel of employees and pupils had been affected by the imposed limitations.

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

For several weeks, Mali has been facing a petrol crisis, notably in the administrative center, after militants from an al-Qaeda affiliate initiated a blockade by targeting transport vehicles on key routes.

The country is surrounded by land, so all petroleum products are brought in by land routes from adjacent nations such as Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire.

Long queues have been snaking around fuel outlets in Bamako in recent weeks, and the city's usually crowded streets have now allegedly become deserted.

The ruling military council had earlier this month reassured citizens that it was only a passing concern, but the crisis has persisted.

In the past few days, the United States diplomatic office in the capital declared that non-essential diplomatic staff and their families would depart the country amid the worsening fuel shortage and escalating protection worries.

It explained that the fuel disruptions had affected the supply of electricity and had the “capacity to affect” the broader protection environment in unpredictable ways.

Mali is currently ruled by a military junta led by Gen Assimi Goïta, who assumed authority in a takeover in 2021.

The military government had popular support when it took power, promising to deal with the ongoing instability triggered by a independence uprising in the northern region by Tuareg communities, which was then taken over by Islamist militants.

The UN peacekeeping mission and European soldiers had been sent in 2013 to address the growing rebellion.

Both have withdrawn since the military assumed power, and the ruling council has hired foreign fighters to combat the violence.

Nevertheless, the jihadist insurgency has continued and extensive regions of the northern and eastern zones of the nation remain not under administrative command.