Coup in Mali

Coup-leaders in Mali appeared on state television early this morning to declare they had seized power. The soldiers claim they acted after the government’s failure to end an insurgency in the north of the country.


The rebellion appears to have begun when soldiers in the north of the country attacked a defence ministry official who was visiting the area. The soldiers have for weeks appealed to the government for better weapons to fight the rebels, who are led by the nomad Tuareg people. The rebels have also recently been bolstered by fighters who had fought in Libya's civil war last year.

The coup-leaders say they will hand over power to a newly elected democratic government.

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