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The landlocked West African country has suspended educational facilities and higher learning institutions across the nation due to a critical energy crisis caused by a embargo on energy resources enforced by jihadist fighters.

Minister of Education declared on public media that all learning centers would stay shut until the ninth of November, noting that the travel of staff and pupils had been disrupted by the restrictions.

He emphasized that the government officials were “making every effort” to end the situation so that classes could continue on November 10th.

For weeks, Mali has been experiencing a energy deficit, especially in the capital Bamako, after insurgents from an jihadist network initiated a restriction by targeting transport vehicles on key routes.

The country is without coastal access, so all petroleum products are brought in by truck from adjacent nations such as its western neighbor and Côte d'Ivoire.

Extended lines have been winding around gas pumps in the main city in the past few weeks, and the city's normally bustling streets have now reportedly become deserted.

The military government had previously assured the public that it was only a short-term problem, but the crisis has continued.

Last week, the US Embassy in the capital declared that secondary diplomatic employees and their dependents would depart Mali amid the deteriorating fuel shortage and increasing security concerns.

It explained that the energy interruptions had affected the supply of electricity and had the “potential to disrupt” the general safety conditions in unforeseen manners.

Mali is now led by a armed forces administration led by the military leader, who assumed authority in a military overthrow in 2021.

The military government had popular support when it assumed control, committing to address the ongoing instability triggered by a independence uprising in the northern region by ethnic Tuaregs, which was then hijacked by extremist groups.

The UN peacekeeping mission and European soldiers had been deployed in 2013 to deal with the increasing militant activity.

The international troops have left since the junta took over, and the military government has employed private military contractors to tackle the violence.

Nevertheless, the Islamist rebellion has continued and significant areas of the north and east of the country remain outside government control.