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The landlocked West African country has closed schools and colleges countrywide due to a critical energy crisis resulting from a embargo on energy resources imposed by militant groups.

Minister of Education declared on public media that all education institutions would be inactive until November 9th, explaining that the transportation of personnel and pupils had been disrupted by the imposed limitations.

He stated that the authorities were “working tirelessly” to resolve the emergency so that classes could continue on 10 November.

For a number of weeks, the nation has been experiencing a fuel shortage, especially in the capital Bamako, after insurgents from an al-Qaeda-linked organization enforced a blockade by striking tankers on primary roads.

Mali is surrounded by land, so all petroleum products are brought in by road from bordering countries such as Senegal and the neighboring nation.

Lengthy waits have been snaking around fuel outlets in Bamako in the past few weeks, and the city's typically busy streets have now apparently fallen quiet.

The junta-led administration had earlier this month reassured the public that it was only a temporary issue, but the emergency has persisted.

Last week, the US Embassy in Bamako announced that non-essential diplomatic staff and their dependents would leave Mali amid the deteriorating petrol scarcity and increasing security concerns.

It noted that the energy interruptions had impacted the energy availability and had the “ability to disturb” the broader protection environment in unexpected forms.

The West African nation is now led by a military junta led by Gen Assimi Goïta, who took control in a military overthrow in recently.

The military government had widespread approval when it assumed control, committing to deal with the ongoing instability caused by a independence uprising in the north by ethnic Tuaregs, which was then taken over by Islamist militants.

The UN peacekeeping mission and European soldiers had been deployed in a decade ago to deal with the increasing militant activity.

Both have left since the junta took over, and the military government has contracted private military contractors to tackle the insecurity.

Nonetheless, the militant uprising has continued and extensive regions of the northern and eastern zones of the country remain not under administrative command.