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Mali has suspended schools and higher learning institutions throughout the country due to a acute energy crisis caused by a restriction on fuel imports enforced by Islamist insurgents.

Top education official announced on state television that all learning centers would remain closed until November 9th, explaining that the travel of staff and learners had been disrupted by the imposed limitations.

He emphasized that the government officials were “working tirelessly” to resolve the crisis so that classes could continue on November 10th.

For weeks, Mali has been facing a fuel shortage, notably in the main city, after militants from an al-Qaeda-linked organization imposed a blockade by striking fuel trucks on key routes.

The country is surrounded by land, so all fuel supplies are brought in by road from neighboring states such as its western neighbor and Ivory Coast.

Lengthy waits have been snaking around fuel outlets in the main city in the past few weeks, and the city's usually crowded streets have now reportedly fallen quiet.

The ruling military council had in recent days promised residents that it was only a short-term problem, but the emergency has continued.

Last week, the United States diplomatic office in Bamako stated that secondary diplomatic employees and their relatives would evacuate Mali amid the worsening fuel shortage and escalating security concerns.

It explained that the petroleum supply issues had disrupted the energy availability and had the “ability to disturb” the overall security situation in unpredictable ways.

The West African nation is presently governed by a military junta headed by General Goïta, who seized power in a takeover in two years ago.

The military government had popular support when it assumed control, committing to deal with the protracted safety emergency prompted by a separatist rebellion in the northern region by the Tuareg population, which was then hijacked by extremist groups.

The United Nations stabilization force and French forces had been stationed in a decade ago to combat the escalating insurgency.

Both have left since the new administration came in, and the ruling council has contracted Russian mercenaries to combat the insecurity.

Nevertheless, the jihadist insurgency has continued and large parts of the northern and eastern territories of the country remain beyond state authority.