Mali Junta Says It Foiled Coup Plot, Arrests French National and Senior Officers

Mali’s ruling junta announced it has prevented an attempted coup and arrested 11 suspects, including high-ranking military officers and a French national accused of plotting to destabilize the regime. The security ministry said the arrests took place on August 1, naming General Abass Dembele among those detained.

Minister for Security and Civil Protection General Daoud Aly Mohammedine said on state television that the “conspiracy was thwarted” before it could unfold. The detainees are accused of working to undermine the military government, which has been in power since a 2021 coup.

Since seizing power, Mali’s military leaders have banned political parties, detained critics, and pursued high-profile arrests, including two former prime ministers. Moussa Mara was accused of mismanaging regional borrowing, while Choguel Kokalla Maiga faces embezzlement charges.

The developments come against a backdrop of Mali’s ongoing fight against Islamist insurgencies that have plagued the country since 2012, killing thousands and displacing hundreds of thousands. Mali, along with Niger and Burkina Faso, continues to face cross-border extremist threats despite shifting alliances and military strategies.