Mutiny Strikes Malian Army - ADA News - September 10th, 2020

Capt Boyle · August 1, 2022

Mutiny Strikes Malian Army

ADA News - Sept. 10th, 2020

After three months of negotiations between the soldiers of the 56th Infantry Regiment and the government that failed to resolve the dispute over the unit being stood down due to budget cuts, the soldiers mutinied and have taken over their base in Sévaré. While the troops have not conducted any violent acts, Malian President Birama Kondo has declared that the mutiny is an act of open rebellion. In a statement to the Associated Press, Mr. Kondo said that the mutineers were “merely coup plotters who have yet to act against the capital.” He continued, stating that as a preemptive measure to prevent “further seditious acts”, all Malian military personnel in the Northern half of the country are being confined to barracks for the foreseeable future.

Pictured: Malian President Kondo at a rally outside of the capital city of Bamako shortly after the mutiny.

Some have questioned this decision while the region is facing sustained security threats from terrorist groups and unstable neighbors. A spokesperson for the Malian Army dismissed those claims, saying that the remaining Malian forces were more than capable of dealing with any additional threats while the crisis is resolved.

By Nyota Uhura

ADA News