Mali’s military government says it has foiled a coup plot involving senior army officers, civilians, and a suspected French intelligence operative. Security Minister Gen. Daoud Aly Mohammedine announced on state television Thursday that 11 people had been detained, including two Malian generals and French national Yann Vezilier. Authorities claim the Frenchman acted on behalf of France’s intelligence services, recruiting political leaders, civil society figures, and soldiers to “destabilize the institutions of the Republic.”
The alleged plot, which officials say began on August 1, comes as the junta faces growing dissent. In May, Mali saw its first pro-democracy protest in years, prompting a wider crackdown. Political parties have since been dissolved, and leader Gen. Assimi Goïta extended his rule by five years—breaking earlier promises to restore civilian government in March 2024.
Among those arrested is Gen. Abass Dembélé, a former governor of Mopti dismissed in May after calling for an investigation into alleged army killings of civilians in Diafarabé, and Gen. Néma Sagara, celebrated for her role in fighting militants in 2012. Mali has endured two coups since 2020 and continues to battle extremist groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State. The junta expelled French troops in 2022 and turned to Russia for security support, but violence has surged in recent months. France has yet to comment on the arrest of its national.
