Malian authorities announced the arrest of several soldiers accused of plotting to overthrow the transitional government, in what officials described as a “serious threat to national stability.”
In a statement released late Sunday, the Ministry of Security said the soldiers were apprehended in a “coordinated operation” by military intelligence and loyalist forces. The suspects are alleged to have been planning a coup against the ruling junta led by Colonel Assimi Goïta.
“The individuals detained had conspired to destabilize the institutions of the state through force,” the ministry’s statement read, adding that weapons and communication equipment were seized during the operation.
The government did not disclose the number of soldiers arrested or their ranks, but security sources told local media that they included both junior and senior officers. Investigations are ongoing, and the detainees are expected to face charges related to treason and endangering state security.
Mali has been under military rule since August 2020, when President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta was ousted in a coup. A second power grab in May 2021 consolidated Goïta’s control, and the West African nation has since faced mounting pressure from regional bloc ECOWAS and international partners to return to civilian rule.
Political tensions remain high in Bamako, fueled by ongoing insecurity in the north and center of the country, where Islamist insurgencies continue to challenge state authority. The latest arrests risk deepening divisions within the armed forces as the government seeks to maintain control ahead of its delayed transition timetable.
Government officials urged calm and reaffirmed their commitment to “protecting the sovereignty and integrity of Mali,” warning that any attempt to disrupt the transition process would be “met with the full force of the law.”
