Mali’s Junta Arrests Generals, Civilians, and Alleged French Agent Over Suspected Coup Plot

Mali’s military government says it has arrested a group of military personnel and civilians, including two high-ranking Malian generals and a suspected French intelligence operative over an alleged plot to destabilise the country.

The announcement, made Thursday evening by Security Minister Gen. Daouda Aly Mohammedine on national television, followed days of rumours about the detention of army officers. Mohammedine assured the public that the situation was “completely under control” and that a full investigation was under way.

The arrests come amid a broader crackdown on dissent, just months after a rare pro-democracy rally in May the first major protest since soldiers seized power nearly four years ago.

Few details were released about the alleged plot, but authorities identified the French suspect as Yann Vezilier, accusing him of working “on behalf of the French intelligence service” to recruit political leaders, civil society actors, and members of the Malian armed forces. France, Mali’s former colonial ruler, has not yet commented on the arrest.

“The transitional government informs the public of the arrest of a small group of marginal elements of the Malian armed and security forces for criminal offences aimed at destabilising the institutions of the republic,” Mohammedine said. “The conspiracy has been foiled with the arrests of those involved.”

State television aired photos of 11 alleged members of the group. Mohammedine also named two generals accused of participating in the plot, which he claimed began on 1 August.

One, Gen. Abass Dembélé, is a former governor of Mopti region who was abruptly dismissed in May after calling for an inquiry into allegations that the army had killed civilians in the village of Diafarabé. The other, Gen. Néma Sagara, was celebrated for her role in repelling militant advances in 2012.

Political analyst Rida Lyammouri, of the Morocco-based Policy Center for the New South, suggested the arrests may be as much about deterrence as about security.

“The military leaders are aware of discontent among both the public and the armed forces,” he said. “They are unwilling to allow those grievances to grow into something larger, like a coup. These arrests seem more like intimidation than evidence of a genuine coup attempt.”