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The landlocked West African country has suspended educational facilities and higher learning institutions throughout the country due to a critical petrol shortage caused by a blockade on fuel imports implemented by jihadist fighters.

Minister of Education stated on national broadcast that all learning centers would remain closed until 9 November, noting that the transportation of employees and learners had been disrupted by the imposed limitations.

He asserted that the authorities were “doing everything possible” to resolve the emergency so that educational activities could restart on November 10th.

For several weeks, the nation has been facing a energy deficit, especially in the main city, after insurgents from an al-Qaeda-linked organization imposed a embargo by striking fuel trucks on key routes.

The country is surrounded by land, so all fuel supplies are transported by road from adjacent nations such as its western neighbor and Côte d'Ivoire.

Extended lines have been forming around fuel outlets in the main city in recent weeks, and the city's typically busy streets have now apparently grown silent.

The ruling military council had earlier this month reassured the public that it was only a passing concern, but the emergency has persisted.

Recently, the United States diplomatic office in the capital announced that secondary diplomatic employees and their relatives would depart the country amid the intensifying fuel shortage and increasing protection worries.

It said that the fuel disruptions had impacted the energy availability and had the “ability to disturb” the general safety conditions in unforeseen manners.

The West African nation is presently governed by a army council led by the military leader, who seized power in a coup in 2021.

The junta had public backing when it took power, vowing to tackle the protracted safety emergency caused by a autonomy movement in the north by the Tuareg population, which was then hijacked by jihadist fighters.

The UN peacekeeping mission and French forces had been stationed in previously to combat the growing rebellion.

These forces have withdrawn since the military assumed power, and the ruling council has contracted Russian mercenaries to tackle the violence.

Nevertheless, the jihadist insurgency has continued and large parts of the northern and eastern zones of the country remain not under administrative command.