Dozens of Soldiers Arrested in Mali For Alleged Coup 

Malian officials arrested dozens of soldiers suspected of plotting to overthrow the ruling military junta, which itself came to power through a coup, amid growing discontent among the military and the public over the ongoing turmoil across the nation, France 24 reported. 

A Malian security official told Agence France-Presse that at least 20 people were arrested, while a lawmaker in the National Transition Council put the number at 50, saying they were all soldiers who shared the goal of overthrowing the junta. 

Among those arrested was Gen. Abass Dembele, a respected military officer and former governor of the central Mopti region.  

The wave of arrests highlights rising tensions within the military government amid reports of a jihadist insurgency gaining ground in the north region of the West African country. 

Analysts say there is also growing political tension following the junta’s crackdown on former prime ministers Moussa Mara and Choguel Maïga, accused of damaging the state’s reputation and embezzlement, the BBC noted.  

Mara, a vocal critic of the military government, has been in custody since Aug. 1, while Maïga faces ongoing judicial proceedings. 

Junta leader Gen. Assimi Goïta, 41, seized power in a coup in 2020 and then again in 2021. He had promised elections to return the country to civilian rule last year but has not set a date. 

In July, the transitional period was extended by five years, allowing Goïta to stay in power until at least 2030. 

In May, the junta also dissolved all political parties after rare anti-government protests, a move that Mara called a serious setback to the reconciliation efforts launched by the military leaders last year. 

Mali has been grappling with Islamist insurgencies since 2012, a key reason for the military takeover. However, violent attacks by militants linked to Al-Qaeda or Islamic State groups have escalated in the country. 

Along with its neighbors, Niger and Burkina Faso, the junta expelled French troops after the coups and formed new alliances, notably with Russia, whose mercenary Wagner Group and its successor Africa Corps have helped in the fights against jihadists and separatists, but are also accused of human rights violations.