Colonel Malick Diaw: leader of the coup plotters

Mali’s mutinous soldiers on Wednesday announced the creation of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP) to lead a political transition toward general elections following the resignation of President Ibrahim Keita.

The spokesperson of the Mutineers, Col.-Maj. Ismael Wague, said this in a statement read on national television.

“We are not keen on power, but on the stability of the country, which will allow us to organise general elections within a reasonable time-frame to allow Mali to equip itself with strong institutions that are capable of managing our daily lives.

“In order to prevent the country from sinking, we, the patriotic forces gathered together in the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP), have decided to take our responsibilities to ensure the continuity of the state and public services,” Wague said.

The spokesperson also announced a series of decisions coming into force on Wednesday until further notice, including the closure of all air and land borders, and a 9 p.m.-5 a.m. curfew.

The CNSP invited civil society and socio-political movements to join in order to create “the best conditions for a better civil transition leading to credible elections.”

A mutiny broke out at the Soundiata Keita camp in Kati early Tuesday, where Malian president Keita and his prime minister were detained by mutinous soldiers.

Subsequently, President Keita late on Tuesday announced his resignation and the dissolution of the National Assembly and the government on national television.

The seizure of power by the mutinous soldiers has been strongly condemned by several countries and regional and international organisations.

In 2012, a coup that overthrew then President Amadou Toure, a few months before the end of his mandate, also began with a mutiny at the same camp in Kati, 15 km from the Malian capital, Bamako. (Xinhua/NAN)