Two Generals, More Than 40 Soldiers Arrested Over Plot to Overthrow Malian President

Authorities in Mali have detained at least 45 members of the armed forces over what officials describe as a plan to remove the current military leadership from power. The arrests took place over the weekend and include two senior generals.

One of those in custody is General Abass Dembele, a former governor of Mopti region who has long enjoyed strong support within the army. Sources close to him say he was picked up by soldiers outside Bamako early Sunday morning, with no official explanation given at the time.

Also detained is Brigadier General Nema Sagara of the air force, one of the few women to reach such a senior position in the Malian military.

A member of parliament familiar with the situation claimed the group’s goal was to overthrow the ruling junta.

From Stability to Two Coups

Mali had experienced relative calm for nearly a decade before a dramatic shift in August 2020, when soldiers moved on the capital, ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, and took control. The takeover followed weeks of public anger over the government’s inability to stop armed Islamist attacks in the north.

Tensions inside the new leadership soon boiled over, leading to a second coup in May 2021. That put Colonel Assimi Goïta in charge, and he has remained president ever since.

Rising Violence and Political Crackdowns

When the junta first seized power, it promised a return to civilian rule within 18 months. That deadline passed without a vote, and the next election has now been pushed to 2027.

Meanwhile, violence has surged. According to data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project, jihadist fighters killed more than 7,600 people in the Sahel region during the first half of 2024. On June 1, the group known as Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) attacked a military base in Boulkessi, leaving over 30 Malian soldiers dead.

In the face of growing insecurity, the government has tightened political control. In May, President Goïta banned all political parties and civic groups, a decision that sparked mass demonstrations in several cities.