Mali’s President, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta and Prime Minister Boubou Cissé have been arrested by mutinying soldiers, who stormed Mr Keïta’s residence and arrested the president and his prime minister who were both there, despite earlier appeals for “brotherly dialogue”.
This apparent coup attempt occurred early hours of Tuesday, 18 August 2020, in the West African nation and began with gunfire at a key military camp near the capital, Bamako.
Reports gathered that young men were seen setting a government-owned building on fire hours after disgruntled junior officers detained commanders and took control of the Kati camp, about 15km (nine miles) from Bamako.
This mutiny though condemned by regional group ECOWAS, the African Union and former colonial power, France coincides with calls for more protests demanding that the President resigns.
In recent months huge crowds led by populist Imam Mahmoud Dicko have been calling on President Keïta to step down. Much smaller crowds reportedly gathered in the capital on Tuesday in support of the soldiers.
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