Malian security forces have fired tear gas and used water cannon to disperse protesters who camped out at a square in the capital, renewing calls for President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita to step down.
Thousands of people had gathered at Bamako’s Independence Square on Tuesday after an opposition coalition resumed anti-government protests as talks mediated by regional leaders to resolve the weeks-long political crisis stalled. […]
Although dissatisfaction over Mali’s financial troubles, corruption and worsening security situation has been simmering for a while, the spark for the current crisis was a decision by the Constitutional Court in April to overturn the results of parliamentary polls for 31 seats, in a move that saw candidates with Keita’s party get re-elected. […]
The West African ECOWAS bloc stepped in last month to mediate, with its heads of government suggesting the formation of a new unity government to end the crisis while sticking by Keita.
But the June 5 Movement – a disparate alliance of political, social and civil-society groups – has repeatedly rejected the proposals, sticking to its core demand for Keita’s departure. Läs artikel