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The landlocked West African country has suspended educational facilities and colleges countrywide due to a acute energy crisis resulting from a embargo on energy resources imposed by jihadist fighters.

Minister of Education announced on public media that all education institutions would be inactive until 9 November, clarifying that the travel of personnel and learners had been disrupted by the restrictions.

He emphasized that the authorities were “working tirelessly” to resolve the situation so that academic sessions could continue on 10 November.

For a number of weeks, Mali has been facing a fuel shortage, especially in the main city, after insurgents from an al-Qaeda affiliate initiated a embargo by targeting transport vehicles on primary roads.

Mali is without coastal access, so all energy resources are transported by land routes from neighboring states such as Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire.

Lengthy waits have been forming around gas pumps in the capital in the last several days, and the city's usually crowded streets have now apparently fallen quiet.

The military government had earlier this month promised citizens that it was only a short-term problem, but the crisis has continued.

Recently, the US Embassy in Bamako stated that secondary diplomatic employees and their relatives would depart the country amid the intensifying energy crisis and increasing security concerns.

It noted that the fuel disruptions had affected the energy availability and had the “ability to disturb” the broader protection environment in unexpected forms.

Mali is presently governed by a armed forces administration led by General Goïta, who took control in a takeover in two years ago.

The military government had public backing when it came to authority, promising to address the long-running security crisis caused by a separatist rebellion in the northern territories by the Tuareg population, which was then co-opted by jihadist fighters.

The United Nations stabilization force and European soldiers had been stationed in previously to combat the increasing militant activity.

Both have withdrawn since the junta took over, and the ruling council has contracted private military contractors to tackle the instability.

However, the jihadist insurgency has continued and large parts of the northern and eastern zones of the country remain outside government control.