Mali military frees president, prime minister

AFP | Bamako

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Mali’s interim president and premier have been released, a military official said yesterday, three days after they were detained and then stripped of their powers in what appeared to be the country’s second coup in nine months.

Their release met a key demand of the international community but fell far short of other calls for an immediate return to civilian government. “The interim president and prime minister were released overnight around 1:30 am (0130 GMT).

We were true to our word,” the official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. Family members confirmed that President Bah Ndaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane had been freed. The two men have returned to their homes in the capital Bamako, those close to them said, although the circumstances surrounding their release were unclear.

The transitional leaders had been tasked with steering the return to civilian rule after a coup last August that toppled Mali’s elected president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.

Keita was forced out by young army officers following mass protests over perceived corruption and his failure to quell a bloody jihadist insurgency.

But in a move that sparked widespread diplomatic anger, Ndaw and Ouane were detained on Monday by army officers who were apparently disgruntled by a government reshuffle. The two were held at the Kati military camp around 15 kilometres (nine miles) from Bamako.