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The landlocked West African country has suspended schools and higher learning institutions throughout the country due to a critical fuel scarcity resulting from a restriction on energy resources enforced by Islamist insurgents.

The Education Minister declared on national broadcast that all learning centers would remain closed until November 9th, explaining that the travel of personnel and pupils had been disrupted by the restrictions.

He emphasized that the administration were “working tirelessly” to resolve the crisis so that classes could restart on November 10th.

For several weeks, Mali has been grappling with a energy deficit, particularly in the main city, after armed groups from an jihadist network enforced a blockade by striking fuel trucks on major highways.

Mali is without coastal access, so all fuel supplies are brought in by road from neighboring states such as Senegal and Ivory Coast.

Extended lines have been forming around fuel outlets in Bamako in recent weeks, and the city's typically busy streets have now reportedly become deserted.

The military government had previously reassured residents that it was only a passing concern, but the emergency has persisted.

Last week, the American diplomatic mission in Bamako declared that secondary diplomatic employees and their dependents would depart the country amid the deteriorating fuel shortage and increasing security concerns.

It explained that the petroleum supply issues had impacted the energy availability and had the “potential to disrupt” the general safety conditions in unforeseen manners.

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

The military government had widespread approval when it assumed control, committing to tackle the long-running security crisis caused by a separatist rebellion in the northern region by ethnic Tuaregs, which was then co-opted by extremist groups.

The UN peacekeeping mission and European soldiers had been stationed in a decade ago to combat the increasing militant activity.

Both have withdrawn since the military assumed power, and the current administration has contracted foreign fighters to combat the violence.

Nevertheless, the militant uprising has endured and extensive regions of the northern and eastern zones of the nation remain not under administrative command.