Mali foils alleged coup with foreign ties, with generals and French ‘agent’ arrested

Mali’s transitional government says it has thwarted an attempted coup,arresting two high-ranking military generals and a suspected French intelligence agent in what it describes as a plot backed by foreign powers to destabilize the state.

Security Minister General Daoud Aly Mohammedine announced the arrests Thursday (14 August),confirming speculation that had been circulating for days. He said the conspiracy,which began on 1 August,involved “a small group of marginal elements of the Malian and security forces”,who had obtained “the help of foreign states”. Among those arrested is French national Yann Christian Bernard Vezilier,alleged to be acting on behalf of France’s intelligence services. Authorities claim Vezilier coordinated efforts with Malian political figures,civil society leaders,and military personnel.

Two detained Malian generals — Abass Dembele and Nema Sagara — are known figures. Dembele was dismissed in May after calling for investigations into army-linked civilian killings,while Sagara had been praised for fighting rebels in 2012. At least 55 soldiers as “possible accomplices” have reportedly been detained. Analysts suggest the arrests may be a tactic to suppress dissent amid growing frustration with the junta. “These arrests seem more of a way to intimidate than a legitimate coup attempt,” said Rida Lyammouri of the Morocco-based Policy Center for the New South. This comes as junta leader Assimi Goita consolidates power,securing a renewable five-year term and intensifying a crackdown on opposition voices.