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The landlocked West African country has temporarily halted schools and universities across the nation due to a severe petrol shortage caused by a restriction on fuel imports implemented by jihadist fighters.

Minister of Education stated on public media that all academic facilities would remain closed until November 9th, clarifying that the travel of employees and pupils had been affected by the blockade.

He stated that the authorities were “doing everything possible” to resolve the crisis so that educational activities could continue on November 10th.

For several weeks, Mali has been grappling with a energy deficit, especially in the capital Bamako, after militants from an al-Qaeda-linked organization enforced a embargo by targeting tankers on major highways.

The country is surrounded by land, so all petroleum products are transported by land routes from neighboring states such as Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire.

Lengthy waits have been winding around fuel outlets in the capital in recent weeks, and the city's normally bustling streets have now apparently fallen quiet.

The junta-led administration had earlier this month promised the public that it was only a short-term problem, but the emergency has endured.

Recently, the American diplomatic mission in Bamako announced that non-essential diplomatic staff and their dependents would leave the country amid the deteriorating energy crisis and escalating safety issues.

It said that the petroleum supply issues had impacted the supply of electricity and had the “potential to disrupt” the general safety conditions in unpredictable ways.

The West African nation is presently governed by a army council headed by the military leader, who took control in a coup in recently.

The military government had widespread approval when it took power, committing to deal with the ongoing instability caused by a separatist rebellion in the north by Tuareg communities, which was then taken over by Islamist militants.

The international UN troops and French forces had been sent in 2013 to combat the increasing militant activity.

The international troops have departed since the junta took over, and the current administration has contracted Russian mercenaries to address the violence.

Nonetheless, the Islamist rebellion has endured and extensive regions of the northern and eastern territories of the country remain not under administrative command.