Le chef de la junte réapparaît pour montrer qu’il tient toujours le pouvoir
Following unprecedented attacks, junta leader Assimi Goïta considers security to be "under control" in Mali, even though his ally Russia acknowledges a "difficult" situation.
Assimi Goïta has reappeared. And it is to reiterate that he still holds the reins of power in Mali, even though he admits that his rule is under immense pressure. The head of the junta asserted Tuesday evening that the security situation in the country was "under control," three days after unprecedented attacks by armed groups against strategic junta positions that left at least 23 dead.
The leader spoke for the first time since the attacks by JNIM jihadists allied with the Tuareg separatists of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), in an address to the nation broadcast on ORTM, the public television channel. After several days of absence and silence, he made his first public appearance that same day.
Goïta acknowledges a situation of "extreme gravity"
“The enemy’s sinister plan has been thwarted with the neutralization of a significant number of attackers,” declared the head of the junta. He nevertheless acknowledged the “extremely serious” situation and called on the population to rise up in a “national awakening” and to “stand against division and national fracture.” “Mali needs clear thinking, not panic,” he insisted.
The silence of the Malian leader had fueled speculation about his ability to remain in power, especially since his defense minister, Sadio Camara, was killed in one of the attacks. He was considered the architect of the political and military rapprochement with Russia. The junta had expelled the French military in 2022.
Russia's support
Earlier on Tuesday, General Goïta received the Russian ambassador, according to the Malian presidency, which released photos of the meeting. The two sides discussed the current situation. Ambassador Igor Gromyko "reaffirmed his country's commitment to Mali in the fight against terrorism," assuring that Russia would "always be a friend of Mali."
In a social media post, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that rebels and jihadists were regrouping and that the situation in Mali remained "difficult." The ministry also confirmed that the Africa Corps—paramilitary forces deployed to support the Malian junta—had been forced to withdraw from the key northern city of Kidal, which armed groups seized last weekend. The Kremlin also expressed its desire for a swift return to stability.
A sign that the situation remains very complicated for the current government, the US Embassy in Bamako wrote on its website Tuesday that it had "taken note of reports of possible terrorist activity within the city." According to analysts, however, the strategic objective of the alliance between JNIM and FLA is not to seize power in Bamako, but rather to recapture the northern regions.
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