Dozens of Malian soldiers have been detained over several days on suspicion of planning to remove the country’s military rulers.
The arrests, carried out mainly overnight and expected to continue, reflect growing unrest inside the military leadership as armed groups in the north gain ground. Officials have not issued a public statement.
Initial accounts suggested that senior officers Gen Abass Dembele and Gen Nema Sagara were among those held, but sources close to Dembele said he was safe at home.
According to local and security sources, between 20 and 50 soldiers may have been arrested, accused of attempting to undermine state institutions.
The move comes amid a tense political climate. Former Prime Minister Moussa Mara has been in custody since 1 August over accusations of harming the state’s image and financial wrongdoing.
Another former Prime Minister, Choguel Maiga, is facing legal action. In May, the ruling junta banned all political parties following rare street protests.
Junta leader Gen Asimi Goïta, who took power in two coups in 2020 and 2021, postponed promised elections and in July extended the transition period by five years, keeping him in power until at least 2030.
Mali has faced a persistent Islamist insurgency since 2012.
Despite switching from French to Russian support alongside Niger and Burkina Faso, attacks by armed groups have intensified rather than eased.