Mali’s transitional government says it has dismantled a network accused of attempting to destabilize national institutions, with arrests carried out on August 1, 2025.
Interim Minister of Security and Civil Protection Major General Daoud Aly Mohammedine announced on national television that the group included members of the Malian armed forces, civilians, and a French national identified as Yann Christian Bernard Vizilier, alleged to be acting on behalf of French intelligence.
Authorities claim the network sought to undermine the country’s sovereignty and halt the reforms underway, with the support of foreign states.
Those detained include Brigadier Generals Abbas Dembélé and Nema Sagara, along with several other senior officers and enlisted personnel.
Mali’s government says judicial investigations are ongoing to identify further accomplices, stressing that the situation is under control and urging the public to remain vigilant.
The arrests come three years after authorities said they foiled a similar coup attempt in May 2022, reinforcing ongoing tensions in the country’s political and security landscape.
