UN calls for immediate release of Mali President Bah Ndawon May 25, 2021 at 12:56 am

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

This comes after reports that President Bah Ndaw was held by soldiers, raising fears of another coup.

Mali President Bah Ndaw (centre) . File photo

image copyrightReuters

The UN mission in Mali has demanded an immediate release of President Bah Ndaw and PM Moctar Ouane, after reports that they were detained by soldiers.

This come after reports that interim President Ndaw and PM and Mr Ouane were driven by soldiers to the Kati military camp near the capital, Bamako.

This raised fears of a second coup within a year in the country.

Defence Minister Souleymane Doucouré has also reportedly been detained.

Late on Monday, Mr Ouane told AFP in a phone call that soldiers “came to get him”. The news agency said the line then was cut.

The African Union, the Economic Community of West African States, the EU and the US also condemned the arrests, saying Mali’s top politicians must be released without any preconditions.

The reported detentions came just hours after a government reshuffle, which saw two senior army officers who took part in last year’s coup replaced.

Once again Mali is looking unstable just nine months after the military coup that saw President Ibrahim Boubakar Keïta removed from office, the BBC’s Africa editor Will Ross reports.

He says that many Malians had welcomed Mr Keita’s departure – but there’s anger at the dominance of the military in the transitional government and the slow pace of promised reforms.

A previous coup in 2012 led to militant Islamists exploiting the instability to seize territory in northern Mali.

French troops helped regain territory, but attacks continue.

Map
- Advertisement -

Discover

Sponsor

Latest

Wimbledon: Heather Watson’s hopes of first major quarter-final ended by Jule Niemeieron July 3, 2022 at 3:08 pm

Heather Watson sees her hopes of reaching a first Grand Slam quarter-final at Wimbledon ended in a straight-set defeat by Jule Niemeier.Heather Watson sees...

Ukraine crisis: Is Russia staging “false flag” incidents?on February 23, 2022 at 5:16 pm

US officials have warned of "false flag" incidents - what's the evidence?

Ukraine v England pictures: Fans jubilant as Three Lions soar in Romeon July 3, 2021 at 9:49 pm

Fans celebrate as England head for the Euro 2020 semi-finals after beating Ukraine.It's coming home. For the first time in 25 years, England are...

Fears Russia will not be able to pay its debts mounton March 16, 2022 at 9:10 am

The country may be about to default on its debts as Western sanctions over Ukraine bite.

Royal Family photos found in ’emotional’ collectionon January 23, 2022 at 11:16 am

Relatives of an amateur photographer stumble on his "stunning" archive of images of the royals.Relatives of an amateur photographer stumble on his "stunning" archive...