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Mali has suspended schools and universities countrywide due to a critical energy crisis resulting from a restriction on petroleum supplies imposed by Islamist insurgents.

Top education official stated on public media that all learning centers would stay shut until November 9th, clarifying that the travel of personnel and pupils had been impacted by the imposed limitations.

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

For several weeks, Mali has been grappling with a petrol crisis, particularly in the administrative center, after armed groups from an al-Qaeda affiliate enforced a restriction by attacking tankers on primary roads.

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

Long queues have been forming around fuel outlets in the capital in recent weeks, and the city's usually crowded streets have now apparently become deserted.

The military government had earlier this month reassured the public that it was only a passing concern, but the crisis has endured.

Last week, the US Embassy in Bamako declared that secondary diplomatic employees and their relatives would evacuate the country amid the deteriorating fuel shortage and growing protection worries.

It explained that the petroleum supply issues had disrupted the energy availability and had the “potential to disrupt” the overall security situation in unexpected forms.

The West African nation is now led by a army council under the leadership of General Goïta, who assumed authority in a military overthrow in 2021.

The military government had widespread approval when it assumed control, committing to address the ongoing instability prompted by a autonomy movement in the northern territories by ethnic Tuaregs, which was then hijacked by Islamist militants.

The United Nations stabilization force and French forces had been stationed in a decade ago to deal with the escalating insurgency.

Both have withdrawn since the new administration came in, and the ruling council has hired Russian mercenaries to combat the violence.

However, the militant uprising has endured and extensive regions of the northern and eastern territories of the state remain not under administrative command.