Mali's Military Arrests Soldiers Amid Alleged Coup Conspiracy

Mon Oct 20 2025 13:28:42 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A series of arrests in Mali raises concerns of internal strife as soldiers are accused of plotting against the military junta.

Dozens of Malian soldiers have been arrested under suspicions of planning a coup against the military government, reflecting escalating tensions within the armed forces amid a rising jihadist threat.

Dozens of soldiers have been detained in Mali following accusations of conspiring to overthrow the military junta, which has ruled the country since a series of coups in 2020 and 2021. Reports suggest that the arrests, which began overnight, may continue as tensions within the military escalate, particularly with the resurgence of jihadist activity in northern Mali.

Initial reports indicated that prominent figures, including Gen Abass Dembele, former governor of the Mopti region, and Gen Nema Sagara, one of the few women in high-ranking army positions, had been detained. However, sources close to Gen Dembele have refuted these claims, stating he is safe and well.

According to the AFP news agency, those arrested are accused of planning a coup against the junta, citing multiple military sources and an unnamed member of the National Transition Council. Estimates suggest around 50 soldiers have been implicated in the purported conspiracy, while a security source indicated that at least 20 soldiers had been arrested due to destabilizing attempts against the government.

These arrests coincide with growing political unrest stemming from the junta's crackdown on former Prime Ministers Moussa Mara and Choguel Maiga. Mara has been detained since August 1 after critiquing the military government, while Maiga faces legal sanctions. In a move indicative of their tightening grip on power, the junta dissolved all political parties in May following protests, which Mara denounced as harmful to reconciliation efforts the military initially promoted.

Gen Asimi Goïta, the coup leader, had pledged to hold elections last year, but the promised reforms have yet to materialize. Instead, the transitional period for military rule has been extended by another five years, allowing Goïta to remain in power until at least 2030.

Mali has battled an Islamist insurgency since 2012, one of the justifications for their military takeover. Despite enlisting Russian support to combat jihadist threats after severing ties with France, security conditions have deteriorated. This sustained conflict raises questions about the junta's capacity to stabilize the nation amidst internal dissent and ongoing violence.