Mali arrests French national, military generals over 'destabilisation plot'

The government says the arrested French national acted on behalf of French intelligence services to mobilise political and civil society figures and military officers. Mali has arrested two generals and a French national, accusing them of participating in an alleged plot to destabilise the West African nation, according to a government statement. Mali has endured over a decade of turmoil marked by insecurity in its arid north along with political instability that culminated in a series of coups in 2020 and 2021 that brought current president General Assimi Goita to power. Earlier this week, dozens of soldiers and military officials were reportedly taken into custody on suspicion of attempting to destabilise Goita's government. Mali's ministry of territorial administration, in a statement released late on Thursday, said those arrested included Yann Vezilier, a French citizen. Soured French relations The ministry statement accused Vezilier of acting on behalf of French intelligence services to mobilise political and civil society figures and military officers. A French foreign ministry spokesperson said Friday that it had no official comment on Vezilier's arrest, Reuters reports.