military junta

Mali Officially Disbands Military Junta

Mali Junta Chief Urges Support For French, UN Troops In Country

The leader of Mali’s military junta, Colonel Assimi Goita, on Tuesday urged support for French and United Nations troops, a frequent target of popular anger in the war-torn country.

Speaking to reporters during a ceremony marking Mali’s 60 years of independence from France, Goita asked Malians to support national troops as well as “partner forces” from France and the UN.

Mali has struggled to contain a jihadist insurgency that first emerged in the north in 2012, and which has since spread to the centre of the country and neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

Thousands of foreign troops in Mali do …

West Africa leaders press Mali junta over transition

West Africa Leaders Press Mali Junta Over Transition

West African leaders met the head of Mali’s military junta on Tuesday to press for the return to civilian rule nearly a month after rebel officers seized power in the fragile state.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) slapped sanctions on Mali after the putsch, including closing borders and a ban on trade and financial flows, and has called for elections within 12 months.

The 15-nation bloc also gave the new military rulers until Tuesday to name a civilian president and prime minister to head a transition government.

“My reason for this meeting is simple. We need to …