Mali : Ce que l'on sait des dizaines d'arrestations dans les rangs de l'armée
In recent days, Malian authorities have arrested dozens of soldiers, including two generals, suspected of wanting to overthrow the junta, which came to power after two successive coups in 2020 and 2021.
Here is what we know about this wave of arrests in this country accustomed to political and military unrest in a context of severe restrictions on freedoms by the junta and deadly jihadist violence on the territory:
At least 55 arrests
Since last week, at least 55 soldiers, including two generals, have been arrested according to security sources and relatives of those concerned.
These arrests continued into the night from Sunday to Monday, confirmed the same sources contacted by AFP on Monday.
"There are arrests linked to an attempt to destabilize institutions," a security source said on Sunday.
Another source within the army affirmed that the authorities had "made the necessary arrests" to counter an "attempt to destabilize" the state.
According to a member of the National Transitional Council (NTC), the legislative body set up by the junta, "all (those arrested) are military personnel."
Their "goal was to overthrow the junta," the lawmaker continued.
The National Guard in the crosshairs
The arrests were mainly made within the National Guard, a corps of the Malian army.
It is notoriously the home body of the Minister of Defense, General Sadio Camara, one of the main figures of the junta.
Several observers have noted that some of those arrested by the authorities are close to Mr. Camara, but he has not been questioned to date.
Among those arrested are several high-ranking military officers, including General Abass Dembélé, a highly respected figure within the army. This former governor of the Mopti region (central Mali) was recently dismissed from his post by the junta.
"Soldiers came early (Sunday) to arrest General Abass Dembélé in Kati (a suburb of Bamako). We didn't tell him why," one of his relatives told AFP.
One of the few women to hold a high-ranking position in Mali, Nema Sagara, a brigadier general in the Air Force General Staff, was also arrested.
According to a Malian security source, "civilians could also soon be questioned in this case."
Silence of the junta
As of Monday morning, the junta had still not commented on this series of arrests.
It is unclear whether these are preventive arrests or whether those arrested are accused of being in the process of preparing to overthrow the junta.
An African diplomat based in Bamako questions this "government silence" and describes a "complex" situation in the context of a "law of omerta."
The context
Since 2012, this Sahelian country has been facing a profound security crisis fueled in particular by violence from groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS) organization, as well as community-based criminal groups. This comes on top of a serious economic crisis.
The ruling junta, led by President Assimi Goïta, has turned away from Western partners, notably the former French colonizer, to turn politically and militarily towards Russia in the name of sovereignty.
The Malian army and its allies, the Russian mercenaries of Africa Corps, tasked in particular with tracking down jihadists, are regularly accused of committing atrocities against civilians.
For Malian sociologist Oumar Maïga, "this story is proof that the military is struggling to control the situation. There is discontent within the ranks of the army."
Commentaires (8)
Du fait qu'ils sont illégitimes et ne savent si les citoyens les aiment, les régimes militaires vivent dans la peut et l'inquiétude. Ils soupçonnent presque tout le monde de vouloir les renversée voir les éliminer. De ce fait, ils vont passer tout leur temps à arrêter, limoger, renvoyer, intimider apeurer ect.
Merci AMADOU Koufa pour la liberation de la republic du Macina liptako pour preserver les ressources du Macina au profit des enfants du Macina.L’or du Macina liptako restera pour les enfants du Macina liptako.
Et l’or de kedougou au Senegal sera mangé par Dakar et Touba.
tout le monde veut sa part dans lke maigre gateau et les chiens se battent entre eux. La descente continue et seul le peuple souffre
Nema Sagara une brave dame:rigoureuse et professionnelle que j'ai rencontré lors d'un stage de formation sur le stockage et traçage des armes au Centre Koffi Annan de Accra au Ghana.
C'est le contexte normal des juntes de vivre dans la paranoïa ! Malheureusement!
Rendez le pouvoir aux civils et retournez dans vos casernes!
C'est un complot français.
Il faut les exécuter s'il y a le moindre soupçon.
C'est coutumier au Mali
D'autres soldats viendrons top ou tard faire un coup d'état et arrêter les éléments de la jeunte ou les tuer pour prendre leures place c'est comme ça que fonctionne le Mali depuis l'indépendance
Pauvre pays
Participer à la Discussion