Shekinat Abubakar
Two Generals and 45 Malian soldiers have been arrested over an alleged coup plot to destabilise the institutions of Mali.
Among those detained is General Abass Dembele, a former governor of the central Mopti region, widely regarded as popular within army ranks.
Sources close to the General said soldiers apprehended him early Sunday on the outskirts of Bamako, the capital, without providing an explanation for his arrest.
Also taken into custody was Brigadier General Nema Sagara, a senior officer in the air force and one of the few high-ranking women in Mali’s military.
Recall that Mali has experienced eight years of relative political stability before a group of soldiers stormed Bamako in August 2020, detaining then-President Aboubakar Keita. The coup followed weeks of anti-government protests over Keita’s failure to curb violent Islamist insurgencies in the north.
However, the government has not yet issued an official statement on the alleged coup plot or the arrests.
