Mali Crisis: Soldiers Give Reasons For President Keita Ouster, Disclose Plans For Country

Malian soldiers who mutinied on Tuesday said their actions were informed by the need to save the country from further crises.

The soldiers had carried a coup that led to the resignation of  President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.

Keita resigned and dissolved parliament as soldiers detained him at gunpoint.

Thousands of Malians, especially in Bamako, had trooped to the street to celebrate Keita’s removal and extolled the soldiers for their actions.

Speaking on Wednesday, the soldiers unveil their plans for the country part of which is to form a civilian transitional government that will organize fresh elections.

Also Read: UN Security Council To Hold Emergency Meeting Over Mali Crisis On Wednesday

In a broadcast, Col. Ismael Wague, spokesman for the mutineers, called them the “National Committee for the Salvation of the People”.

Wague invited Mali’s civil society and political movements to join them to establish an atmosphere for a political transition that would lead to elections.

“Our country is sinking into chaos, anarchy and insecurity mostly due to the fault of the people, who are in charge of its destiny,’’ Rueters quoted him as saying.