Mali Arrests Soldiers on Suspicion of Alleged Coup Plot

Authorities in Mali have detained dozens of soldiers accused of planning to overthrow the ruling junta, security and political sources told AFP on Sunday.

The arrests, which began three days earlier, were linked to what officials described as an attempt to “destabilise the institutions.” A Malian security source confirmed that at least 20 soldiers were in custody, while a member of the National Transition Council — the junta-backed parliament — claimed the number could be closer to 50.

Among those arrested was General Abass Dembele, former governor of the central Mopti region and a widely respected officer.

“Soldiers came early this morning (Sunday) to arrest General Abass Dembele in Kati,” a source close to him said. “They have not told him why he was arrested.”

A senior army source said, “We have gone ahead with the necessary arrests,” adding that the detainees’ objective had been to remove the military government.

Mali, which has endured back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021, has faced years of armed insurgency, criminal violence, and economic decline. Since taking power, the junta has severed ties with France, aligned more closely with Russia, and brought in fighters from the Wagner group and its successor Africa Corps to combat jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State.

Despite these shifts, the security situation remains volatile, and both the army and its Russian allies face frequent accusations of abuses against civilians.

Sociologist Oumar Maiga said the arrests reflect internal discontent. “Some soldiers are not happy with the treatment given to the Russian mercenaries at the expense of Malian soldiers,” he noted.

In July, the military-appointed legislature passed a bill granting junta leader General Assimi Goita a renewable five-year presidential mandate, abandoning earlier promises to restore civilian rule by March 2024.