Mali's military rulers arrest 2 generals, a suspected French agent and others in alleged coup plot

Winnipeg Free Press

16 hours ago

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Mali's military rulers said Thursday they have arrested a group of military personnel and civilians, including two Malian generals and a suspected French agent, accused of attempting to destabilize the country.
The announcement followed rumors in recent days of arrests of Malian army officers and was made by Mali's security minister, Gen. Daoud Aly Mohammedine on the evening news on the local media.
It comes amid an ongoing crackdown on dissent by Mali's military following the country's pro-democracy rally in May, the first since soldiers seized power nearly four years ago.
The military provided no details about the alleged coup plot or the French national implicated in it.
Mali, along with neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger, has long battled an insurgency by armed militants, including some allied with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group.
Following two military coups, the ruling junta expelled French troops and instead turned to Russia for security assistance. But the security situation remains precarious, and attacks from extremist groups linked with al-Qaida intensified in recent months.
In June, military leader Gen. Assimi Goita, was granted an additional five years in power, despite the junta's earlier promises of a return to civilian rule by March 2024. The move followed the military's dissolution of political parties in May.