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Mali’s military-led government has announced the arrest of a French citizen accused of working for foreign intelligence in a purported attempt to undermine the country’s stability and facilitate a coup.
In a televised statement on Thursday evening, Security Minister Gen. Daoud Aly Mohammedine alleged that the suspect, identified as Yann Vezilier, had been operating “on behalf of French intelligence services” to mobilize political figures, civil society members, and military personnel in efforts to destabilize the Malian state. The French government has not yet issued a response to the accusations, and Mr. Vezilier has not publicly commented.
The announcement also featured images of the suspect alongside several Malian army generals recently detained for their alleged role in the plot. According to Gen. Mohammedine, the authorities have prevented an overthrow attempt through the arrests, which include Gen. Abass Dembele, the recently dismissed former governor of the Mopti region.
Security sources told AFP that at least 55 soldiers have been taken into custody as part of the ongoing investigation. Officials say the arrests extend to both military and civilian individuals allegedly supported by “foreign states.”
This latest development follows weeks of political tension in Mali. In early August, former Prime Minister Moussa Mara, a vocal critic of the current junta, was detained on charges related to “damaging the reputation of the state.” Another former Prime Minister, Choguel Maïga, is facing judicial proceedings for alleged embezzlement.
In May, the junta dissolved all political parties following rare public demonstrations, a move that critics described as a major setback to the reconciliation initiatives launched last year.
Mali has been under military control since a series of coups in 2020 and 2021 led by Gen. Asimi Goïta. Although elections were initially promised, the transitional period was extended in July by five more years, meaning Gen. Goïta could remain in power until at least 2030.
The country continues to grapple with a worsening security crisis, fueled by Islamist insurgencies that have persisted since 2012. Despite claims that military rule would address the instability, attacks by jihadist groups have increased, displacing communities and claiming thousands of lives.
After severing defense ties with its former colonial ruler, France, Mali has deepened military cooperation with Russia and aligned more closely with neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso in security matters. However, there has been little measurable improvement in controlling armed violence across the Sahel.
Gen. Mohammedine confirmed that a full-scale investigation is underway to determine whether additional accomplices, both inside and outside Mali, were involved in the alleged plot. Authorities insist the situation remains “fully under control.”
The arrest of a foreign national in connection with an alleged coup plot is likely to strain already fragile relations between Mali and France, which have been deteriorating since the junta’s rise to power and Bamako’s pivot toward alternative international alliances.
Source: BBC Africa / AFP