(CNN) - Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita announced his immediate resignation on state television Tuesday night, hours after he and the prime minister were reportedly arrested by mutinous soldiers in an alleged coup by State.
Tuesday's events sparked international condemnation and is likely to further destabilize the West African nation, following months of massive anti-government protests and a growing insurgency by Islamist militants.
Wearing a blue surgical mask due to the coronavirus pandemic, the president told national broadcaster ORTM that he had no choice but to step aside to avoid bloodshed and that the country's national assembly and government would now dissolve.
"For seven years I have tried with great joy and happiness to put this country back on its feet," Keita said. «If today some people from the Armed Forces have decided to end this with their intervention, do I have any other option? I must submit because I do not want blood to be spilled.
On Wednesday morning, the military leaders behind the alleged coup - a group that identified itself as the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP) - addressed the nation promising a political transition, elections within a "reasonable time." and a national curfew.
Colonel Major Ismael Wague, spokesman for the CNSP, announced that starting Wednesday all air and land borders would be closed "until further notice" and that a national curfew would be imposed from 9 pm to 5 am local time. .
“Civil society and socio-political movements are invited to join us in order, together, to create the best conditions for a civil political transition that leads to credible regional elections for democratic exercise, through a roadmap that will establish the foundations of a new Mali ”, said Wague.
The military leader listed multiple complaints against Keita's leadership, including allegations of corruption and a lack of agreements with the extremist insurgency.
Wague said that the CNSP "is not interested in power, but we are interested in the stability of the country, which will allow us to organize general elections within a reasonable time to allow Mali to equip itself with solid institutions capable of managing as well as possible. possible our daily life and restore trust between governments and governed.
Troops arrested the president and Prime Minister Boubou Cisse in an alleged coup early Tuesday, according to the chairman of the African Union Commission.
This came after reports of an attempted mutiny that morning at a military camp 15 kilometers outside the capital, Bamako, confirmed to CNN by a diplomatic source that had been notified by local officials. The source spoke on condition of anonymity, as she was not authorized to speak on the matter.
The source said the attempted mutiny took place in Kati, in the same camp where a successful military coup was launched in 2012.
Earlier that day, Cisse had posted a plea to the troops on Facebook, asking the military to lay down their weapons and engage in dialogue.
“The government calls for reason and a patriotic sense and asks that the use of arms cease. There are no problems that are not resolved through dialogue, ”the prime minister wrote, in a statement that appears to have been published before his alleged arrest.
Moussa Faki Mahamat of the African Union Commission condemned the news of the arrests, in a tweet published on Tuesday.
"I strongly condemn the arrest of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, the Prime Minister and other members of the Malian government and call for their immediate release," wrote Mahamat.
He added that he called on "the mutineers to cease all use of violence" and called on the international community to oppose any use of force.
The United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday to discuss the situation, two UN diplomatic sources told CNN.
The UN talks were requested by France and Niger, according to diplomatic sources. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity, as they were not authorized to discuss the matter.
Bamako riots
Crowds took to the streets in Bamako throughout Tuesday, surrounding the independence monument in the capital. In footage from the city, protesters on motorcycles could be seen cheering the news of the alleged coup, while some opposition supporters celebrated with national flags and trumpets.
In other places, more than a thousand people gathered in front of the president's house, although soldiers prevented them from entering. However, protesters entered and ransacked the empty house of Keita's son Karim, which is located nearby. Karim Keita resigned as head of the parliament's defense committee in July amid a spike in violence and calls for his father's resignation.
A building owned by the Malian Ministry of Justice was also looted and burned.
President Keita, 75, has faced growing public discontent since May, after the country's highest constitutional court annulled the results of the disputed parliamentary elections, paving the way for Keita's party to occupy the majority of seats. vacancies.
Poll disputes also sparked post-election violence in various districts of the capital and other towns in March.
Discontent has also been fueled by economic woes and young people are fed up with rising unemployment. Mali has a young population: about half of the country's 19 million people are under 18, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). And 42.7% of the country lives in extreme poverty, according to the World Bank.
Mali previously faced a major rebellion in 2012, after a coup by middle-ranking army officers opened an opportunity for jihadist and rebel groups from the long-marginalized Tuareg ethnic minority to seize a significant part of the country.
Mali shares borders with Algeria, Niger and Mauritania and all four countries have struggled with the growing presence of Islamist groups in the region.
The European Union on Tuesday condemned the apparent "coup attempt" underway in Mali.
"The European Union condemns the ongoing coup attempt in Mali and rejects any unconstitutional changes," the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell said in a statement.
"This can in no way be a response to the deep socio-political crisis that has hit Mali for several months," he said.
Security warnings
The French and US embassies in Mali on Tuesday warned citizens to stay home amid the violence.
"The US embassy is aware of the shooting and riots in the Kati area, as well as ongoing police / military operations in Bamako," the US embassy said in a statement.
“There have been several reports of gunfire throughout the city, as well as reports of soldiers driving in trucks and firing their guns into the air. There are continuous reports of protesters gathering at the L'Independance Monument. The United States encourages all American citizens to avoid these areas, if possible. "
And the US Command for Africa said it was aware of the alleged coup. The United States has a limited number of personnel in Mali, primarily conducting counter-terrorism activities with local and international partners.
“We are aware of the events in Mali. All US service members are accounted for. We will continue to monitor this situation, ”the United States Command for Africa said in a statement Tuesday.
Report contributed by David McKenzie and Brent Swails in Johannesburg, Caitlin Hu and Richard Roth in New York, Eva Tapiero and Pierre Bairin in Paris, Lauren Kent in Winston-Salem and Tatiana Arias in Atlanta.
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