🇲🇱 Mali Arrests Two Generals, French Agent in Foiled Coup Plot

Mali’s junta has arrest ed two senior generals and a suspected French intelligence agent over an alleged coup attempt, assuring citizens that the situation is under control. Military authorities say arrests followed weeks of tension as alleged plot to destabilize the government is uncovered.

Zig Diaries Defence
Date: Friday, 15 August 2025
Time: 10:45 WAT
Location: 📍 Bamako, Mali

The arrests come amid ongoing political repression and security crackdowns nearly four years after the military seized power.

Mali’s Security Minister, Gen. Daoud Aly Mohammedine, announced Thursday that military personnel and civilians were detained in connection with a plot to destabilize the state. “The situation is completely under control,” he said on national television, confirming that a full investigation is underway.

The alleged French agent, identified as Yann Vezilier, reportedly acted “on behalf of the French intelligence service, which mobilized political leaders, civil society actors, and military personnel” in Mali. The two generals named as part of the plot were Abass Dembélé and Néma Sagara.

Gen. Dembélé, formerly governor of Mopti region, was dismissed in May after demanding an inquiry into alleged civilian killings by the Malian army in Diafarabé. Gen. Sagara earned recognition for her role fighting militants in 2012.

Mohammedine said the conspiracy began on August 1. National television broadcast images of 11 people alleged to be involved in the plot. There was no immediate response from France regarding Vezilier’s arrest.

Mali, alongside Burkina Faso and Niger, continues to face insurgencies linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. Since taking power, the junta expelled French troops and sought Russian support, yet security threats have intensified in recent months.

In June, Gen. Assimi Goita, the military leader, was granted an additional five years in power, following the junta’s earlier dissolution of political parties and promises of a civilian transition by March 2024.

Fact-Check & Background Context:
Mali has been under military rule since coups in 2020 and 2021. The security situation is fragile, with ongoing militant attacks across central and northern regions. 

The naming of Generals Dembélé and Sagara is significant given their roles in prior military operations. No official statement has been issued by France on the arrest of the suspected agent.

🏷️ Tags: Mali, Coup Plot, Military Arrests, French Intelligence, Bamako, Security
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