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Dozens of Malian soldiers have been detained in what sources describe as a plot to overthrow the country’s military rulers. The arrests, which began days ago and continued overnight, underscore growing tensions within the junta as Islamist insurgents gain ground in the north. Authorities have yet to comment.
Initial reports claimed that senior officers, including Gen Abass Dembele and Gen Nema Sagara — one of the highest-ranking women in the Malian army — were among those detained. But a source close to Gen Dembele said both remain free, adding that he had just left Dembele’s home and “he was doing well.”
AFP, citing military and transitional council sources, reported that those arrested — all soldiers — aimed to “overthrow the junta.” Estimates of the number detained range from 20 to about 50.
The arrests come amid heightened political repression. Former Prime Minister Moussa Mara, an outspoken critic of the military government, has been detained since 1 August, while fellow ex-premier Choguel Maiga faces judicial sanctions. In May, the junta banned all political parties after rare anti-government protests — a move Mara said undermined reconciliation efforts.
Gen Assimi Goïta, who seized power in coups in 2020 and 2021, postponed promised elections last year. In July, the transition period was extended by five years, allowing him to remain in power until at least 2030.
Despite the junta’s justification for its takeover — to end Mali’s Islamist insurgency — attacks by jihadist groups have intensified. Alongside Niger and Burkina Faso, Mali has turned to Russian allies after cutting ties with France, but security gains remain elusive.
