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Malis military leader Colonel Assimi Goita PHOTO: Getty Images
There is coup scare in Mali, with dozens of soldiers arrested for allegedly plotting to overthrow the military government of Colonel Assimi Goita.
A report by AFP quoted a Malian security source as telling the news agency yesterday, Sunday, August 10, 2025: “Since three days ago, there have been arrests linked to an attempt to destabilise the institutions. There have been at least around 20 arrests.”
The report quoted a separate source within the West Africa country’s army as confirming an “attempt at destabilisation”, adding: “We have gone ahead with the necessary arrests”.
AFP said that among those arrested was General Abass Dembele, a former governor of the central Mopti region and a respected military officer.
“Soldiers came early this morning (Sunday) to arrest General Abass Dembele in Kati,” on the outskirts of the capital Bamako,” AFP quoted a figure close to the officer as saying, adding: “They have not told him why he was arrested.”
The news agency quoted a member of the National Transition Council, the junta-backed parliament, as indicating “around 50 arrests”.
“All are soldiers. Their objective was to overthrow the junta,” the lawmaker said, according to AFP.
