Mali’s interim president Assimi Goita’s office confirmed the premier was safe and sound after he had been attacked by two armed men on Tuesday after Eid al-Adha prayers at the Grand Mosque in the capital, Bamako, reported Reuters.
In a Twitter post, the presidency said the security immediately overpowered the attacker, and investigations related to the attack are ongoing.
The attack took place when an imam was directing worshippers for a ritual animal sacrifice outside the mosque.
Goïta also announced on national television that he is doing “very well” after the assassination attempt.
“That’s part of being a leader, there are always malcontents,” Mali’s president said in a statement broadcast on state channel ORTM. “There are people who at any time may want to try things to cause instability”.
A journalist, who was present at the mosque and witnessed the attack, said the attacked dived at Goïta, who was then quickly rushed away by the security. The journalist also said there was blood at the scene, though it remained unclear who had been wounded.
The attack follows months of political turmoil in Mali, which is also reeling through a jihadist insurgency that has claimed the lives of hundreds of people and forced thousands to flee from their homes.
The 38-year-old Goita was sworn into power last month, after leading the country’s second coup in less than a year.
In August 2020, Colonel Goita had led a military coup that ousted embattled President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita after months of anti-government protests over widespread corruption and his failure to tackle a deteriorating security crisis in the country that first emerged in 2012.
Goita, who was serving as Mali’s vice president in a transitional government, seized power again in May after accusing interim President Bah Ndaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane of failing to consult him about a cabinet reshuffle.
