Malian authorities said Monday they had detained a man accused of working for French intelligence and plotting to overthrow the transitional government.
State television announced the arrest after a security operation in the capital, Bamako. Officials alleged the suspect had coordinated with local and foreign partners to destabilize the leadership that took power after Mali’s 2021 coup.
Authorities said documents and communications linked to coup planning were seized. No details were given on the suspect’s identity.
Mali has been under military rule since President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta was ousted in August 2020, followed by a second coup in May 2021. Colonel Assimi Goïta currently leads the transitional government.
Relations between Mali and France have soured in recent years. French forces withdrew in 2022 after disputes over counterterrorism operations and the presence of foreign mercenaries in the country.
Officials in Bamako described the arrest as exposing “the enemy within” and pledged tighter security for transitional leaders.
France has not yet issued a public response.
