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Mali has suspended schools and colleges throughout the country due to a critical petrol shortage caused by a blockade on petroleum supplies imposed by militant groups.

Minister of Education announced on public media that all learning centers would remain closed until November 9th, explaining that the travel of staff and learners had been disrupted by the restrictions.

He stated that the authorities were “working tirelessly” to end the situation so that academic sessions could restart on November 10th.

For several weeks, Mali has been experiencing a energy deficit, especially in the administrative center, after armed groups from an al-Qaeda-linked organization initiated a embargo by targeting fuel trucks on key routes.

Mali is surrounded by land, so all petroleum products are delivered by road from bordering countries such as its western neighbor and Ivory Coast.

Extended lines have been snaking around gas pumps in the capital in the last several days, and the city's normally bustling streets have now allegedly fallen quiet.

The ruling military council had previously promised residents that it was only a temporary issue, but the situation has continued.

Recently, the US Embassy in Bamako declared that non-essential diplomatic staff and their relatives would depart the country amid the deteriorating energy crisis and escalating protection worries.

It said that the energy interruptions had affected the supply of electricity and had the “potential to disrupt” the general safety conditions in unexpected forms.

The West African nation is presently governed by a military junta under the leadership of General Goïta, who took control in a coup in two years ago.

The military government had public backing when it came to authority, committing to deal with the ongoing instability triggered by a separatist rebellion in the northern territories by Tuareg communities, which was then hijacked by extremist groups.

The international UN troops and French forces had been deployed in a decade ago to combat the increasing militant activity.

The international troops have left since the new administration came in, and the current administration has contracted foreign fighters to address the instability.

However, the militant uprising has continued and large parts of the northern and eastern territories of the country remain not under administrative command.