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Mali has closed schools and universities across the nation due to a acute energy crisis triggered by a blockade on energy resources imposed by Islamist insurgents.

Minister of Education stated on public media that all education institutions would be inactive until 9 November, clarifying that the travel of staff and students had been affected by the blockade.

He asserted that the government officials were “doing everything possible” to end the situation so that academic sessions could resume on the tenth of November.

For weeks, the nation has been experiencing a energy deficit, particularly in the administrative center, after armed groups from an al-Qaeda affiliate initiated a restriction by attacking tankers on key routes.

The country is without coastal access, so all energy resources are brought in by road from bordering countries such as Senegal and the neighboring nation.

Long queues have been forming around petrol stations 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 persisted.

Last week, the US Embassy in Bamako declared that non-essential diplomatic staff and their relatives would leave Mali amid the worsening energy crisis and increasing security concerns.

It said that the energy interruptions had disrupted the supply of electricity and had the “potential to disrupt” the general safety conditions in unforeseen manners.

The West African nation is currently ruled by a army council headed by Gen Assimi Goïta, who assumed authority in a coup in recently.

The military government had popular support when it came to authority, committing to tackle the protracted safety emergency triggered by a autonomy movement in the northern region by Tuareg communities, which was then hijacked by jihadist fighters.

The UN peacekeeping mission and French forces had been deployed in a decade ago to address the growing rebellion.

These forces have withdrawn since the new administration came in, and the ruling council has employed Russian mercenaries to address the violence.

Nevertheless, the militant uprising has continued and significant areas of the northern and eastern territories of the state remain outside government control.