The president and the transitional prime minister in Mali, who resigned after their arrest earlier this week by the military, were released, it was announced Thursday from corroborating sources.
President Bah Ndaw and his Prime Minister Moctar Ouane “were released last night,” a military official told the media on condition of anonymity. A release confirmed by relatives and family members of the two officials.
The vice-president of the transition and strong man of Malian power, Colonel Assimi Goïta, announced on Tuesday that they had discharged Bah Ndaw and Moctar Ouane from their prerogatives, arrested the day before by the soldiers, accusing them of attempting to “sabotage” the transition.
He criticized them for having formed a new government without consulting him beforehand, although he was in charge of defense and security, crucial areas in the country in turmoil.
An adviser to Colonel Goïta subsequently announced the resignation of the two officials.
Malian President Bah Ndaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane were forcibly taken to the Kati military camp on Monday, about fifteen kilometers from Bamako.
These events come just hours after the announcement of a new government, which replaced the old cabinet whose resignation was presented on May 14 by Prime Minister Moctar Ouane.
The local transition monitoring committee in Mali, made up of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union and MINUSMA, expressed its “deep concern” at the situation in Mali.
In a joint statement, the committee, which also includes members of the international community, including France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and the European Union, strongly condemns this attempted coup.
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