Sahel Edition

Sahel: Fears of a soldiers’ mutiny in Mali as political crisis lingers



Posted On 18 August 2020

Number of times this article was read : 305

This article is sponsored by MEA Risk LLC

Bamako, Aug 18, 2020 – Gunfire broke out at a key army base near Mali’s capital Bamako on Tuesday, officials and witnesses said, triggering fears of a mutiny in the crisis-stricken Sahel state. Details of the events were sketchy, but the sources said the soldiers fired their guns into the air at a base in Kati, a town some 15 kilometres (nine miles) from Bamako. An officer at the camp told AFP that the gunfire was an act of “rebellion” and many soldiers were unhappy with Mali’s political situation. “We want change,” the officer said. The incident coincided with opposition plans to resume protests against the impoverished country’s embattled president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. “There were lots of them and they were very nervous,” a doctor in Kati told AFP, referring to the soldiers.

A 2012 putsch that opened the way to Keita’s presidency began in the Kati base, and the accounts of gunfire sparked fears of another coup attempt in the fragile country. Protesters also gathered on Bamako’s Independence Square on Tuesday, AFP journalists saw. Some later looted the office of the justice minister, which lies just off the square. The embassy of France, the former colonial power, recommended on social media on Tuesday that everyone remain at home. But an official at Mali’s ministry of defence told AFP that no “mutiny” was underway, adding however that the government was following the situation closely.

A Western diplomat in Bamako, who declined to named, described the events as “an attempt at mutiny”. J. Peter Pham, the United States special envoy for the Sahel, said on Twitter that Washington “opposes all extra-constitutional change of government”.

AFP

Niger Moves Uranium From SOMAÏR Mine Despite Arbitration Ruling

Niger’s military authorities have authorized the removal and transport of uranium from the SOMAÏR mine at Arlit without the involvement of longtime operator Orano, prompting the French nuclear group to denounce the shipment as illegal and in breach of a September 2025 World Bank–linked arbitration ruling. While Niamey signals plans to sell the stock on the open market as an assertion of resource sovereignty, the move raises legal, safety, and security concerns as uranium travels by road through conflict‑affected Sahel corridors.

Benin Soldiers Mount Brief Coup Attempt

In the span of a few hours on December 7, a small group of soldiers in Benin, West Africa, moved from night‑time attacks on senior officers’ homes to a televized announcement claiming they had removed President Patrice Talon and suspended the constitution. Forces loyal to the government swiftly retook the national broadcaster and key positions in Cotonou, and authorities now say the coup attempt has been defeated even as some officers remain missing and questions about the mutineers’ support network persist.

Mauritania: Medical Equipment Contract Controversy Deepens in Mauritania

Mauritania is facing mounting questions over a multimillion‑euro plan to equip its hospitals, after an independent investigation alleged that the military mishandled a major medical procurement on behalf of the Health Ministry. Instead of new diagnostic machines, the process has produced shifting contracts, large advance payments, and a change of suppliers, while hospitals continue to wait for equipment that should have been delivered months ago.

Why Morocco’s Protests Aren’t Just About Youth: The Fight for Dignity and Justice

Morocco is facing its largest wave of unrest in years, with mass protests erupting across major cities demanding better hospitals, schools, and an end to corruption.