Malian soldiers on Tuesday ousted and detained President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and Prime Minister Boubou Cisse.
Though details of the mutiny is still scanty, one of the rebelling soldiers who requested anonymity, told AFP, “We can tell you that the president and the prime minister are under our control.”
He added that the pair had been “arrested” at Keita’s residence in the capital Bamako.
Soldiers had earlier in the day mutinied at the Kati military base about 15 km (9 miles) outside of Bamako and rounded up a number of senior civilian and military officials.
Another military official, who also declined to be named, said the president and prime minister were in an armoured vehicle en route to Kati.
A spokesman for Keita could not be reached for comment, according to Reuters.
A mutiny in 2012 at the Kati base led to a military coup that toppled the then President Amadou Toumani Toure and hastened the fall of Mali’s north to jihadist militants, who continue to operate across the north and centre of the West African country.
Keita has faced mass protests since June calling for his resignation over alleged corruption and worsening security.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Boubou Cisse issued a brief statement calling for dialogue and urging mutinous soldiers to stand down.
The United States, France and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) all condemned the mutiny.
AFP/Reuters