Dylan Bettencourt
Soldiers in Mali have taken their president, Bah Ndaw, as well as their prime minister, Moctar Ouane, into custody following further political unrest in the country.
A reshuffle in the government on Monday left out two of the soldiers who led the coup to remove their previous president nine months ago. This led to increased fears of a second takeover by the military.
The United Nations and the African Union released a joint statement demanding the release of the country’s leadership.
They also stated that they reject any conditional release which includes forced resignation.
Reports suggest that the president and the prime minister as well as the defence minister, Souleymane Doucore, were being held in custody at a military base in the town of Kati.
The president, who is a former soldier, became the leader of Mali in September 2020, following the threat of regional sanctions to Mali’s generals.
A transitional government was put in power to manage the collapse of the former administration.
There has been no communication from Mali’s military on the release of their president.
However, a military source said these were not arrests, and added that the government’s reshuffle was a mistake.
“We are letting them know. Decisions will be made.”
Al Jazeera have reported an increase in violence across the nation in the past month, after widespread civil unrest followed trade union strikes over unpaid wages.
Image source: @CNBCAfrica
