Mali authorities have announced on Friday that they have detained a group of military personnel, including two generals, as well as a French citizen accused of working for French intelligence, in connection with plans to destabilise the internal situation in the country.
“The transitional government informs the public about the arrest of a small group of marginal elements in the armed forces and security services in connection with criminal offences aimed at destabilising the republic’s state institutions,” Security Minister Daoud Aly Mohammedine said in a televised address.
According to the minister, two generals are among those detained. He noted that opponents of the authorities from among the military and civilians had received support from foreign states. In this regard, Mohammedine noted that French citizen Yann Christian Bernard Vizilier had been detained on suspicion of working for French intelligence.
The minister said that the conspirators began their activities on August 1, but that the situation is now under control.
Earlier, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger announced the conclusion of a military pact, the Sahel Alliance, and agreed to form joint forces to fight jihadists.
The authorities of these countries broke defence cooperation agreements with France and forced its military contingents to leave their territory.
Since 2022, the French army has ended its permanent presence in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire and Gabon. In mid-July, France had returned its last two military facilities to the Senegalese authorities, thus ending France’s permanent military presence in this West African country, which began in 1960.
