Mali Mutiny: World leaders urge ruling Junta to release President Keita, PM Cisse

Mali's ruling junta has been urged to release ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and Prime Minister Boubou Cisse after the leaders were arrested in a military coup on Wednesday, August 19. World leaders are fearful that this coup could be utilised by Islamic extremists to gain a foothold in the country once again.

Read: UN Condemns Mali Mutiny And Urges End To Crisis

World leader urge release of President ad Prime Minister

Mail’s former colonial master France has joined the United Nation in condemning the arrest of the country’s 75-year-old leader and have asked the military junta to return power to the civilian government immediately.

Meanwhile, the Economic Community of West African States has been trying to negotiate with the Mali junta leaders and held a video conference on August 20. Mail’s membership to the Economic Community of West African States has already been suspended and the bloc has threatened sanctions against the country.

In a similar incident back in 2012, the power vacuum created by the coup allowed jihadists to gain a foothold in the northern parts of Mali and were only liberated when a French-led military operation was conducted the following year.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said, “Mali has not only descended into political chaos but also socioeconomic and security disaster with potentially tragic consequences to Mali and the sub-region.”

Read: Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita Resigns To Avoid 'blood Shed' After Military Mutiny

After the arrest, the Malina President was forced to announce his resignation on live television. Marc-Andre Boisvert, a member of the UN panel of experts for Mali has stated that the military coup was well-organised and was led by a group of officers who have prior experience in the field.

The current leader of the military junta, that is in charge of the West African Country, is an army officer, Col. Assimi Goita. He was one of the five military officers that announced the military coup on the state broadcaster ORTM.

Ibrahim Boubacar Keita first came to power in 2013 in a landslide election wherein he got more than 77 percent of the votes; five years later Keita won re-election but his political fortunes have soured since his then.

(Input/Image Credit AP)

Read: Mali Mutiny: Soldiers 'arrest' President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, PM Boubou Cisse

Read: Mali Army Col. Assimi Goita Says He's In Charge Of Junta