Mali: 6 senior military officials of the junta relieved of their duties

The Malian government has announced that it is to release six senior military officials, including the army chief of staff and the national guard chief of staff, from their duties on Wednesday, according to a cabinet statement. The statement did not give reasons for the dismissal.

The director general of the national gendarmerie, the director general of military security, the director of military engineering and the central director of the army's health services were also replaced.

Mali has been plagued since 2012 by the spread of jihadism and a serious security, political and humanitarian crisis.

The colonels who took power in Mali by force in 2020 broke off the military alliance with France and its partners in 2022, and turned to Russia.

Three armed groups in northern Mali that have fought the central state in the past also merged on Wednesday, at a time of tension with Bamako.