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In a televised statement late on Thursday, Security Minister Gen Daoud Aly Mohammedine alleged that Yann Vezilier was acting “on behalf of the French intelligence service,” mobilising political figures, civil society actors, and military personnel in Mali. Mr Vezilier has not commented on the accusations, and France — Mali’s former colonial ruler — has yet to respond.
The junta also aired Vezilier’s photo alongside images of several army generals recently detained over what authorities say was a foiled coup plot. Two generals, including former Mopti region governor Abass Dembele, are among at least 55 soldiers arrested so far.
Mohammedine said “the situation is completely under control” and that investigations are continuing to identify possible accomplices. He claimed foreign states were involved in supporting “fringe elements” within Mali’s armed forces to undermine state institutions.
The arrests come amid mounting political tensions. Former prime ministers Moussa Mara and Choguel Maïga were detained in recent weeks on charges ranging from harming the state’s reputation to embezzlement. In May, the junta dissolved all political parties after rare anti-government protests.
Junta leader Gen Assimi Goïta, who took power in coups in 2020 and 2021, has delayed promised elections and extended the transition period by five years, potentially keeping him in power until at least 2030.
Mali has faced a worsening security crisis since 2012, driven by jihadist insurgencies. After severing ties with France, it has deepened cooperation with Russian allies alongside Niger and Burkina Faso, but attacks by Islamist groups have persisted.
