Mali’s transitional vice president and junta leader Colonel Assimi Goita has declared himself the country’s President, hours after the release of President Bah Ndaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane from custody, reported Africa News.
President N’Daw and Prime Minister Ouane were arrested on Monday along with other government leaders in the capital, Bamako.
Mali’s military released the two leaders on Thursday after keeping them in detention for three days but stripped them of their powers in what appeared to be the country’s second coup in nine months. The military ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in October last year after weeks of mass protests over perceived corruption and his failure to end Mali’s jihadist insurgency.
The two were held at the Kati military camp around 15 kilometers (nine miles) from Bamako. While in detention, N’Daw dismissed the prime minister before handing in his own resignation letter.
Col. Goita, who also led the coup that toppled then, said Tuesday he removed N’Daw and Ouane because the two neglected to advise him about a cabinet reshuffle that left out two members of the military. He said the move violated the agreement that created Mali’s civilian transitional government.
Goita assured that the country was still on track to hold presidential and legislative elections set for next February.
The detentions of Mali’s president and prime minister sparked outrage among the international community.
ECOWAS, the United Nations, the African Union, and other international bodies issued a joint statement on Tuesday and called for their immediate release, while French President Emmanuel Macron denounced the move as a “coup d’etat.”
The U.S. State Department also came forward in support Wednesday of the ECOWAS statement and said it is suspending all security assistance that benefits the Malian security and defense forces.
It is feared that the new political unrest could further destabilize efforts to control Mali’s long-running Islamic insurgency.
