Mali's military sacks prime minister and government: Official

By Oumar Sankare

BAMAKO, Mali (AA) - Mali's military leader on Wednesday sacked the country’s civilian prime minister and the government days after Choguel Kokalla Maiga issued a rare criticism of the military rulers.

"The duties of the prime minister and the members of the government are terminated,” said a decree issued by Col. Assimi Goita and read out by Alfousseyni Diawara, the presidency’s secretary general, on ORTM state television.

Maiga last Saturday called on the country's military leaders to discuss ending the so-called transition period, in a rare criticism of the ruling junta.

"The transition was supposed to end on March 26, 2024. But it was postponed indefinitely, unilaterally, without debate within the government," Maiga told supporters of his M5-RFP movement in a speech.

The country has been ruled by the military since successive coups in 2020 and 2021.

In June 2022, the junta pledged to hold elections and hand power back to civilians by the end of March 2024, but then postponed the vote indefinitely.

Since 2012, Mali has been plunged into a political and security crisis, fueled by attacks by a number of armed groups, as well as clashes with separatist forces in the country’s north.