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Malian authorities have arrested dozens of soldiers accused of plotting to overthrow the country’s ruling junta, security and parliamentary sources told AFP on Sunday.
A Malian security source disclosed that the arrests, which began three days ago, were linked to an alleged attempt to destabilise the institutions.
“There have been at least around 20 arrests,” the source said.
A separate army source confirmed the plot, adding: “We have gone ahead with the necessary arrests.”
Naija News understands that among those arrested was General Abass Dembele, a former governor of the central Mopti region and a highly regarded officer.
“Soldiers came early this morning (Sunday) to arrest General Abass Dembele in Kati,” a figure close to him revealed. “They have not told him why he was arrested.”
A member of the National Transition Council, the junta-backed parliament, claimed that “around 50 arrests” had been made, all involving soldiers.
“Their objective was to overthrow the junta,” the lawmaker said.
Naija News reports that Mali has faced multiple crises since 2012, with militants linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State carrying out deadly attacks across the Sahel nation. Criminal violence, intercommunal clashes, and economic hardship have worsened the instability.
The current junta came to power through coups in 2020 and 2021, promising to restore civilian rule but later abandoning its initial transition timetable.
In July, the military-appointed legislature passed a law granting junta leader General Assimi Goita a renewable five-year presidential mandate without elections.
Tensions Within the Military
Sociologist Oumar Maiga said the arrests signal cracks within the armed forces.
“This latest purge is proof that the officers are struggling to control the situation. There are grumblings within the army’s ranks,” he said, noting that some soldiers resent the preferential treatment given to Russian mercenaries over Malian troops.
Since taking power, Mali’s junta has severed ties with France and strengthened relations with Russia, relying on mercenaries from the defunct Wagner Group and its successor, Africa Corps, in its fight against jihadists and other internal threats.
However, despite these alliances, the country continues to struggle to contain the insurgency, with both Malian forces and their Russian allies facing repeated accusations of atrocities against civilians.
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