Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta has stepped down, after being detained by soldiers on August 18.
In a TV address, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta said he was also dissolving the government and parliament, adding: “I want no blood to be spilled to keep me in power.”
The president and PM Boubou Cissé were taken to a military camp near the capital Bamako, drawing international condemnation.
A spokesman for the soldiers called for “a civil political transition leading to credible general elections”.
Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta won a second term in elections in 2018, but there has been anger over corruption, the mismanagement of the economy and a dispute over legislative elections. It has prompted several large protests in recent months.
There has also been anger among troops about pay and over a continuing conflict with jihadists.
Wearing a surgical mask amid the coronavirus pandemic, President Keïta resigned in a brief address on state TV.
“If today, certain elements of our armed forces want this to end through their intervention, do I really have a choice?” he asked.
“I hold no hatred towards anyone, my love of my country does not allow me to,” he added.
“May God save us.”
A televised statement was read out early on August 19 on behalf of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People.
Air force deputy chief of staff Col-Major Ismaël Wagué said: “Civil society and political social movements are invited to join us to create together the best conditions for a civil political transition leading to credible general elections for the exercise of democracy through a roadmap that will lay the foundations for a new Mali.”
He added: “As of today, all air and land borders are closed until further notice. A curfew is in place from 09:00 to 17:00 until further notice.”
Flanked by soldiers, Col. Wagué said: “Our country is sinking into chaos, anarchy and insecurity mostly due to the fault of the people who are in charge of its destiny.”
It remains unclear who began the mutiny, how many soldiers took part or who will now take charge.
It appears to have started when mutinying soldiers took control of the Kati camp, where the president and PM were later taken.
After taking over the camp, about 9 miles from Bamako, the mutineers marched on the capital, where they were cheered by crowds who had gathered to demand President Keïta’s resignation.
On August 18, they stormed his residence and arrested the president and his prime minister – who were both there.
The president’s son, the speaker of the National Assembly, the foreign and finance ministers were reported to be among the other officials detained.
Kati camp was the focus of a mutiny in 2012, also by mid-ranking soldiers, who were angry at the inability of the senior commanders to stop jihadists and Tuareg rebels taking control of northern Mali.
When news first broke of the mutiny, the UN and African Union both called for the release of those held by the soldiers.
The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), a regional body, also said its 15 member states had agreed to close their borders with Mali, suspend all financial flows to the country, and eject Mali from all Ecowas decision-making bodies. In recent months, Ecowas has been trying to mediate between President Keïta’s government and opposition groups.
The UN Security Council is to meet on August 19 to discuss the latest developments in Mali.
Mali’s former colonial ruler, France, was also quick to condemn the president’s detention, and Foreign Minister Jean Yves Le Drian urged the soldiers to return to barracks.
Mali is a key base for French troops fighting Islamist insurgents across the Sahel region.
Mali has declared a 10-day state of emergency following the attack on Radisson Blu Hotel by suspected Islamist militants in the capital, Bamako, in which gunmen killed 19 people.
President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has also declared three days of mourning.
Announcing the death toll, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita said two militants had also been killed.
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and its affiliate, al-Murabitoun, said they carried out the attack.
More than 130 hotel guests and staff were freed when Malian Special Forces, French Special Forces and off-duty US servicemen stormed the Radisson Blu hotel on November 20 to break the siege.
Photo Reuters
Among those killed were three Chinese business executives, and China’s President Xi Jinping has called the attack “cruel and savage”, Reuters news agency reports.
An American was also killed, and President Barack Obama said the attack was yet another reminder that the “scourge of terrorism” threatened many nations.
President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita said Mali would “do everything to eradicate terrorism” in the country.
Earlier reports said at least 27 people had died.
A UN official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said 12 bodies were found in the basement and 15 on the second floor.
It is not clear how many gunmen too part. Eyewitnesses said up to 13 entered the hotel shooting and shouting “God is greatest!” in Arabic – however the company that runs the hotel, Rezidor Group, said on November 20 that only two attackers were involved.
There is as yet no established link with the attacks in Paris one week ago that killed 130 people last week.
Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has won Mali’s presidential election after his rival Soumaila Cisse admitted defeat in the second round.
Ex-Finance Minister Soumaila Cisse said he had congratulated Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and wished him good luck, AFP reported.
Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, 68, served as prime minister from 1994 to 2000.
Mali has suffered a year of unrest including a military coup and a French-led military intervention to oust Islamist rebels from the north.
No official results have yet been released following Sunday’s runoff, however, reports had put Ibrahim Boubacar Keita well ahead.
Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has won Mali’s presidential election after his rival Soumaila Cisse admitted defeat in the second round
In the first round Soumaila Cisse polled just 19% against Ibrahim Boubacar Keita’s 40% and most of the other candidates then gave Keita their endorsements.
Ibrahim Boubacar Keita – known as IBK – will now oversee more than $4 billion in foreign aid promised to rebuild the West African state.
A 12,600-strong United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Mali (Minusma) is currently deploying, as France begins to withdraw its 3,000 troops.
After the first round Soumaila Cisse had complained of widespread fraud, with more than 400,000 ballots declared spoiled.
However, Mali’s Constitutional Court rejected the allegations and the head of the EU election observer mission, Louis Michel, praised the electoral process for its transparency.
On Monday, observers from the EU and the African Union again praised the way the second round was carried out.
“Malians should be congratulated because it seems to me they are regaining control of their democratic destiny, which is in fact nevertheless a tradition that exists in Mali,” said Louis Michel.
Mali is set to begin voting in a presidential election run-off.
Many expect Former PM Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, who won 40% of the vote in the first round, to defeat ex-Finance Minister Soumaila Cisse.
The election follows more than a year of turmoil which included a coup and a French-led military intervention to oust Islamist rebels from the north.
The victor will oversee more than $4 billion in foreign aid promised to rebuild the West African state.
A 12,600-strong United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Mali (Minusma) is currently deploying, as France begins to withdraw its 3,000 troops.
The UN has stressed the importance of the election to the restoration of constitutional order and the start of national dialogue and reconciliation.
A record 49% of the 6.8 million registered voters cast a ballot in first round on 28 July.
Mali presidential candidates Soumaila Cissé and Ibrahim Boubacar Keita
Soumaila Cisse, who was second among the 27 candidates with 19.7% of the vote, complained that there was widespread fraud, with more than 400,000 ballots declared spoiled.
However, Mali’s Constitutional Court rejected the allegations and the head of the EU election observer mission, Louis Michel, praised the electoral process for its transparency.
Ahead of Sunday’s second round, for which some 21,000 polling stations are due to open across Mali at 08:00 GMT, Louis Michel said he had been “positively surprised” by preparations.
Ibrahim Boubacar Keita – who is popularly known by his initials, “IBK” – has urged voters to give him what he called a “clear and clean” majority in the run-off.
“My first priority would be the reconciliation of the country. After the trauma that it has suffered, a new start is needed,” he told reporters on Saturday.
But IBK also said he would be pursuing “a real peace… not a false one”.
Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, 68, has the support of influential moderate Islamic leaders, and 22 of the 25 losing first-round candidates have given him their backing.
Soumaila Cisse, 63, has run on pledges to improve education, create jobs and reform the army. He has been more openly critical of the leaders of last year’s military coup than Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.
“I am confident, because it is not about adding to the votes from the first round, there will be new votes, it is a new election,” he told the AFP news agency on Saturday.
Polls open across Mali for a presidential election aimed at reuniting the country after months of political turmoil.
Security is tight, with many areas still recovering after a northern rebellion and coup that resulted in foreign military intervention.
There are 27 candidates and if no outright winner emerges, the voting goes to a second round on August 11.
However, some analysts have questioned whether Mali is ready for the election.
Hundreds of thousands of people in the north were displaced by fighting. The majority of them will not be able to vote.
Islamist militants in the north have also warned Muslims not to take part and have threatened to attack polling stations.
There are also concerns about the fairness of the electoral process in the northern town of Kidal, which is still occupied by Tuareg rebels.
Polls open across Mali for a presidential election aimed at reuniting the country after months of political turmoil
Tuareg gunmen were suspected of abducting electoral officials in the northern Tessalit area last week as they handed out voter identification cards. The officials were later released.
French troops are still deployed in the area with Chadian forces as part of the UN stabilization force, Minusma.
Despite the problems, Louis Michel, head of the EU’s election observer mission, said he was “positively surprised” by preparations for the vote and that the conditions were acceptable.
The US ambassador to Bamako, Mary Beth Leonard, said the fragility of Mali’s interim government had to end.
“A month ago, there were a lot of doubts [over the election]. But it has come together,” Mary Beth Leonard said.
Candidates include three former prime ministers, a former finance minister and one woman.
The frontrunners include Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, prime minister from 1994 to 2000, who founded his own party, the Rally for Mali (RPM), in 2001.
At his final rally in the capital Bamako on Friday, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita – known as IBK – appealed for a calm election day and vowed to ensure that “no-one will make fun of Mali again”.
IBK’s biggest rival is seen as Soumaila Cisse, who founded his own party, the Union for the Republic and Democracy (URD), in 2003.
Soumaila Cisse has called for the junta that seized power in 2012 to be cleared from the political scene.
Observers say Soumana Sacko, another former prime minister, can expect a good showing if there is no clear winner.
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