₦airaland Forum

Mali has suspended schools and universities nationwide due to a severe fuel scarcity caused by a blockade on fuel imports imposed by Islamist insurgents.

Education Minister Amadou Sy Savane announced on state television that all education institutions would remain shut until 9 November, saying the movement of staff and students had been affected by the blockade.

He said the authorities were "doing everything possible" to end the crisis so that classes could resume on 10 November.

For weeks, Mali has been hit by a fuel shortage, especially in the capital Bamako, after militants from an al-Qaeda affiliate imposed a blockade by attacking tankers on major highways.

Mali is landlocked, so all fuel supplies are brought in by road from neighbouring states such as Senegal and Ivory Coast.

Long queues have been snaking around petrol stations in Bamako in recent weeks, and the city's usually crowded streets have now reportedly fallen quiet.

The military government had earlier this month assured residents that it was only a temporary issue, but the crisis has persisted.

Last week, the US Embassy in Bamako announced that non-essential diplomatic staff and their families would leave Mali amid the worsening fuel shortage and growing security concerns.

It said the fuel disruptions had affected the supply of electricity and had the "potential to disrupt the overall security situation in unpredictable ways".

Mali is currently ruled by a military junta led by Gen Assimi Goïta, who seized power in a coup in 2021.

The junta had popular support when it took power, promising to deal with the long-running security crisis prompted by a separatist rebellion in the north by ethnic Tuaregs, which was then hijacked by Islamist militants.

The UN peacekeeping mission and French forces had been deployed in 2013 to deal with the escalating insurgency.

Both have left since the junta took over, and the military government has hired Russian mercenaries to tackle the insecurity.

However, the jihadist insurgency has continued and large parts of the north and east of the country remain outside government control.

lordm:
They will suffer until they return to democracy

Omoawoke:
We all know the reason France is hating on Israel… and supporting Hamas and other terrorist goups

It’s no coincidence that the same France is hating on west African countries seeking independence and how’s the coincidence that jihadist and terrorists groups are fighting west African countries

lordm:
They will suffer until they return to democracy

lordm:
They will suffer until they return to democracy

lordm:
They will suffer until they return to democracy

lordm:
They will suffer until they return to democracy

wellmax:
☪️ancer of the world.

All over the world, they are a problem.

Mrchippychappy:
France using their middle Eastern underbosses (Islam) to attack Africa once again, especially after Mali and Burkina decided that they didn't want more mosques but more educational institutions and hospitals.

What new here? Its always been that way. The west and east had an agreement during the Ottoman empire conquest of Europe and the reconquesta that followed, Africa was used as compensation for the Ottomans after Europe conquered and forced them out and till this day both sides have suppressed any attempt to bring economic independence to the continent.

That's why I laugh when I see people kpaing themselves for all this Gaza matter, if you really know how much these Arabs (both the ones in the Levant and the desert arabs) despise and hate Africans, you go just go house relax, forget all this nonsense wey una carry for head.

shox:
Religion of peace doing their peaceful demonstrations as usual .

A time is coming when and where Islam as a religion will be abolished

donleo92:
Abeg make Nigeria dey manage our yeye democracy they go.

I don't like military rule in anyway, no matter how you paint it.

Military rule is a no no for me.

Small boy way be say on a norm I go fit beat, go tell me to do frog jump just because him wear uniform and carry gun.

Total abuse of power

lordm:
They will suffer until they return to democracy

owobokiri:
We are not enjoying or managing any nonsense democracy with you..
It's either a true democracy based on valid elections or nothing

Mirasteel:
And you think those zionists that you are supporting don't hate blacks too?