Mali’ s president said Wednesday he had resigned to avoid “ bloodshed ” after he was detained in a military coup , whose leaders pledged new elections to resolve a spiralling political crisis in the fragile West African nation .
Ibrahim Boubacar Keita ’ s government had been beset by months of protests over economic stagnation , corruption and a brutal Islamist insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives.
Rebel soldiers took Keita and Prime Minister Boubou Cisse into custody on Tuesday afternoon and drove the pair to a military base on the outskirts of Bamako , which they had seized that morning .
Jubilant crowds were already gathered in the capital to demand Keita ’ s resignation , and cheered the rebels as they made their way to the 75 - year - old ’ s official residence.
Keita appeared calm as he appeared in a state television broadcast soon after midnight to declare the dissolution of the government and national assembly, and said he had no choice but to resign with immediate effect .
“ If it pleased certain elements of our military to decide this should end with their intervention , do I really have a choice?” he said of the day ’ s events .
“(I must ) submit to it , because I don’ t want any bloodshed . ”
It was unclear whether Keita was still in custody at the Kati base , which in a twist of fate was also the site of the 2012 putsch that brought him to power .
The coup ’ s leaders appeared on television hours later to pledge a political transition and new elections within a “ reasonable time ” .
Malian Air Force deputy chief of staff Ismael Wague said he and his fellow officers had “ decided to take responsibility in front of the people and of history” .
Mali’ s neighbours warned against any unconstitutional transfer of power as the coup unfolded on Tuesday.
Mali’ s president said Wednesday he had resigned to avoid “ bloodshed ” after he was detained in a military coup , whose leaders pledged new elections to resolve a spiralling political crisis in the fragile West African nation .
Ibrahim Boubacar Keita ’ s government had been beset by months of protests over economic stagnation , corruption and a brutal Islamist insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives.
Rebel soldiers took Keita and Prime Minister Boubou Cisse into custody on Tuesday afternoon and drove the pair to a military base on the outskirts of Bamako , which they had seized that morning .
Jubilant crowds were already gathered in the capital to demand Keita ’ s resignation , and cheered the rebels as they made their way to the 75 - year - old ’ s official residence.
Keita appeared calm as he appeared in a state television broadcast soon after midnight to declare the dissolution of the government and national assembly, and said he had no choice but to resign with immediate effect .
“ If it pleased certain elements of our military to decide this should end with their intervention , do I really have a choice?” he said of the day ’ s events .
“(I must ) submit to it , because I don’ t want any bloodshed . ”
It was unclear whether Keita was still in custody at the Kati base , which in a twist of fate was also the site of the 2012 putsch that brought him to power .
The coup ’ s leaders appeared on television hours later to pledge a political transition and new elections within a “ reasonable time ” .
Malian Air Force deputy chief of staff Ismael Wague said he and his fellow officers had “ decided to take responsibility in front of the people and of history” .
Mali’ s neighbours warned against any unconstitutional transfer of power as the coup unfolded on Tuesday.
The Economic Community of West African States condemned the coup in a statement , pledging to close land and air borders to Mali and push for sanctions against “ all the putschists and their partners and collaborators ” .
The 15 - nation bloc — which includes Mali — also said that it would suspend the country from its internal decision - making bodies .
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres demanded the “ immediate and unconditional release ” of Keita and Cisse as diplomats in New York said the Security Council would hold emergency talks on Wednesday .
The United States and France also released separate statements voicing deep concern about the turn of events and urged against regime change .
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the mutiny , according to his office , and said he supported mediation efforts to resolve the crisis by other West African states .
The US envoy to the region , J . Peter Pham , joined the calls for restraint and echoed its opposition to any “ extraconstitutional ” change .
( AFP )
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