African Union Condemns Arrest Of Malian President, PM, Others

The African Union on Tuesday condemned the arrest of Malian political leaders by mutineering troops and demanded they be freed immediately.

“I forcefully condemn the arrest of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, Prime Minister (Boubou Cisse) and other members of the Malian government, and call for their immediate release,” the chairman of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, said in a tweet in French.

Below is the tweet:
1/3:Je condamne énergiquement l’arrestation du President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, le Premier Ministre et autres membres du Gouvernement maliens et appelle à leur libération immédiate. #Mali

— Moussa Faki Mahamat (@AUC_MoussaFaki) August 18, 2020

3/3:J’appelle la #CEDEAO, les Nations Unies et toute la communauté internationale à conjuguer efficacement leurs efforts pour s’ opposer à tout recours à la force pour la sortie de la crise politique au #Mali.

— Moussa Faki Mahamat (@AUC_MoussaFaki) August 18, 2020

Recall that mutineering soldiers in Mali on Tuesday detained President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and Prime Minister Boubou Cisse, one of their leaders said.

“We can tell you that the president and the prime minister are under our control,” the leader, who requested anonymity, told AFP.

He added that the pair had been “arrested” at Keita’s residence in the capital Bamako.

Earlier, soldiers launched a mutiny from the nearby garrison town of Kati.

Another military official, who also declined to be named, said the president and prime minister were in an armoured vehicle en route to Kati.

Details later…