Africa News World

Mali’s ex-junta chief Sanogo detained: defense ministry

(Reuters) – Malian security forces have detained General Amadou Sanogo, the leader of the coup that plunged the country into chaos last year, the defense ministry said on Wednesday.

Men sit next to a painting of the ex-junta leader Amadou Haya Sanogo in Bamako
Men sit next to a painting of the ex-junta leader Amadou Haya Sanogo in Bamako July 16, 2013. Mali will be holding presidential election on July 28. The poster reads, REUTERS/Joe Penney

Sanogo has this month repeatedly ignored summons by the justice ministry to attend questioning over six deaths during an army protest in September.

Mali’s newly-elected President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita is under pressure to restore the state’s authority over both the army, which carried out the March 2012 coup, and the north, which was occupied by a mix of separatist and Islamist rebels.

The defense ministry did not give any further details on Sanogo’s detention, saying only that he had been taken into custody by soldiers.

A Bamako-based diplomat said that Sanogo was also wanted for questioning over the deaths and disappearances of soldiers who tried to resist his coup last year.

Boubacar Diallo, a witness outside the Djicoroni military base in Bamako where Sanogo is believed to have been, said he saw heavily armed troops arrive on the scene on Wednesday morning.

(Reporting by David Lewis in Dakar and Adama Diarra in Bamako; Additional reporting byEmma Farge; Editing by Daniel Flynn and Jon Boyle)

Article from: reuters.com

We Recommend

The yoopya.com portal presents worldwide news, covering a large spectrum of content categories including Entertainment, Politics, Sports, Health, Education, Science and Technology and more. Top local and global news in the best possible journalistic quality. We connect users via a free webmail service and innovative.

Mali’s ex-junta chief Sanogo detained: defense ministry

Discover more from Top Local & Global trusted News | Secure Email Account

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading