Mali Arrests Generals, French Man Over Coup Plot

Authorities in Mali have arrested several people, including two army generals and a French national, for allegedly planning to destabilise the country and remove the current military government from power.

Security Minister General Daoud Aly Mohammedine made the announcement on national television, saying the suspects were involved in criminal actions against the state and that the situation is now completely under control.

The arrests follow several days of rumours about high-ranking officers being detained, which raised concerns about possible unrest within Mali’s armed forces.

The minister said the government had stopped the group’s plan, describing the suspects as a small number of “marginal elements” from both the military and civilian sectors.

He added that the plot began on August 1, and that the group had received help from foreign governments, aiming to weaken the institutions of the republic and disrupt the transition process.

French Spy Suspected; Generals Had Clashed With Leadership

A French national, identified as Yann Christian Bernard Vezilier, was among those arrested and is suspected of working with French intelligence services to support the alleged coup attempt in Mali.

The government claims the French man helped bring together political figures, civil society groups, and members of the military to support efforts to destabilise the country’s leadership.

One of the generals arrested, Abass Dembele, was previously the governor of Mali’s Mopti region and had clashed with the army leadership earlier this year.

He was removed from his position in May after calling for an investigation into reports that the Malian army killed civilians in the village of Diafarabe.

The second general, Nema Sagara, is a well-known military figure who was praised in the past for her role in fighting rebel groups during the 2012 crisis.

Tensions Grow as Mali Extends Military Rule

Mali has faced ongoing security problems since 2012, with violence from armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS, along with attacks by local criminal gangs across the country.

Since taking power through a coup in 2020, President Assimi Goita and his military government have moved away from Western allies, especially France, in favour of closer ties with Russia.

The government says this shift is part of a plan to strengthen national independence and end foreign interference in Mali’s affairs.

In June, Mali’s transitional council voted to extend Goita’s time in power for another five years, breaking an earlier promise to return to civilian rule by March 2024.

This decision has caused concern both inside Mali and among international observers, who worry that the country is moving further away from democratic rule.