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The landlocked West African country has closed schools and higher learning institutions countrywide due to a severe energy crisis resulting from a restriction on fuel imports implemented by jihadist fighters.

The Education Minister stated on national broadcast that all education institutions would be inactive until the ninth of November, noting that the transportation of staff and pupils had been affected by the imposed limitations.

He stated that the government officials were “making every effort” to end the crisis so that academic sessions could restart on the tenth of November.

For a number of weeks, the nation has been experiencing a energy deficit, particularly in the administrative center, after insurgents from an al-Qaeda-linked organization enforced a blockade by striking tankers on key routes.

Mali is surrounded by land, so all energy resources are delivered by road from neighboring states such as its western neighbor and the neighboring nation.

Extended lines have been winding around petrol stations in the capital in recent weeks, and the city's usually crowded streets have now apparently grown silent.

The ruling military council had earlier this month reassured residents that it was only a temporary issue, but the situation has persisted.

Last week, the American diplomatic mission in the capital announced that non-essential diplomatic staff and their dependents would depart Mali amid the deteriorating petrol scarcity and growing safety issues.

It noted that the energy interruptions had disrupted the supply of electricity and had the “potential to disrupt” the broader protection environment in unexpected forms.

Mali is currently ruled by a armed forces administration led by General Goïta, who seized power in a takeover in two years ago.

The military government had public backing when it came to authority, promising to address the ongoing instability triggered by a separatist rebellion in the northern territories by Tuareg communities, which was then co-opted by extremist groups.

The United Nations stabilization force and European soldiers had been deployed in a decade ago to combat the increasing militant activity.

The international troops have withdrawn since the junta took over, and the current administration has contracted foreign fighters to address the violence.

Nevertheless, the jihadist insurgency has endured and extensive regions of the north and east of the state remain not under administrative command.