Mali closes all schools, universities as militant fuel blockade disrupts transportation

Mali has announced the closure of all schools and universities nationwide starting Sunday due to a severe fuel shortage. Education Minister Amadou Sy Savane told state television that classes would be suspended for two weeks, citing disruptions in fuel supplies that are affecting the movement of school staff. Authorities aim to restore normal fuel deliveries before classes resume on November 10.

The shortage follows a blockade imposed in early September by militants from the al-Qaida-backed group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, preventing fuel imports from neighbouring countries. The blockade has left hundreds of fuel trucks stranded at the border and worsened the landlocked country’s fragile economy.

Mali, along with neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, has been grappling with armed insurgencies, including groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State, as well as local rebels. Following military coups in these countries, French forces have been expelled, and Russia’s mercenary units have been called in for security assistance, though analysts say their presence has had limited effect.

In Bamako, the capital, long queues have formed at gas stations, while transportation and commodity prices have been affected. The Malian military has attempted to escort some fuel trucks from border areas to the capital, with mixed results, as some convoys were attacked by militants.

The fuel blockade is regarded as a major challenge for Mali’s military junta, which seized power in 2020, justifying the takeover as a measure to end decades of security crises.