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Mali has suspended schools and universities countrywide due to a severe energy crisis triggered by a blockade on petroleum supplies enforced by jihadist fighters.

Minister of Education announced on public media that all academic facilities would remain closed until November 9th, explaining that the transportation of personnel and learners had been disrupted by the blockade.

He stated that the government officials were “doing everything possible” to alleviate the situation so that classes could restart on 10 November.

For several weeks, the nation has been grappling with a petrol crisis, notably in the capital Bamako, after armed groups from an jihadist network initiated a embargo by attacking tankers on major highways.

Mali is without coastal access, so all energy resources are transported by truck from neighboring states such as its western neighbor and Ivory Coast.

Long queues have been winding around gas pumps in the capital in the last several days, and the city's normally bustling streets have now apparently fallen quiet.

The ruling military council had earlier this month promised citizens that it was only a temporary issue, but the crisis has endured.

In the past few days, the United States diplomatic office in Bamako stated that non-essential diplomatic staff and their relatives would depart the country amid the worsening energy crisis and increasing protection worries.

It said that the petroleum supply issues had impacted the supply of electricity and had the “ability to disturb” the general safety conditions 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 takeover in two years ago.

The junta had widespread approval when it came to authority, committing to tackle the protracted safety emergency triggered by a autonomy movement in the northern territories by the Tuareg population, which was then taken over by extremist groups.

The international UN troops and French forces had been deployed in previously to address the increasing militant activity.

Both have withdrawn since the military assumed power, and the military government has contracted Russian mercenaries to address the insecurity.

Nonetheless, the Islamist rebellion has continued and large parts of the northern and eastern territories of the state remain beyond state authority.