Coup d'état in Mali: Colonel Assimi Goita declares to be at the head of the junta

A Malian officer, Colonel Assimi Goita, said on Wednesday that he was the head of the junta that overthrew President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta the day before, becoming Mali's new strongman.

To read also: In Mali, the putschists brought down the president IBK "like a ripe fruit"

" Let me introduce myself: I am Colonel Assimi Goita, the president of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People, " he declared after a meeting with the secretaries general of the administrations. He appeared on television during the night of Tuesday to Wednesday when a group of soldiers announced the creation of this committee which prompted President Keïta to resign, but he did not speak.