Mali thwarts French-linked coup plot
Malian intelligence services have uncovered and dismantled what they describe as a sophisticated plot to destabilize the country’s transitional government, implicating a French intelligence officer and several high-ranking Malian military figures in a scheme that has escalated diplomatic tensions between Bamako and Paris.
The French Connection
At the center of the alleged conspiracy is Yann Christian Bernard Vezilier, a DGSE officer operating under diplomatic cover as France’s second secretary in Bamako.
Mali: Destabilisation attempt neutralised
According to Mali’s Center for Government Information (CIGMA), Vezilier cultivated a network of Malian politicians, active and retired military officers, and civil society actors while gauging public opinion on Mali’s ongoing transition.
Military arrests
Two prominent generals Brigadier General Abass Dembélé (former Mopti governor) and Air Force Brigadier General Néma Sagara were among those detained in a quiet but decisive operation by state security forces.
Investigators claim the plotters aimed to weaken military command structures, manipulate media narratives, and ultimately trigger institutional collapse.
Strategic silence
Notably, Malian authorities maintained operational secrecy until arrests were complete.
The premature leak of Dembélé’s detention by a Dakar-based journalist reportedly confirmed suspicions of external coordination.
Geopolitical backdrop
The incident follows France’s announced €10 billion military budget increase and President Macron’s July pledge to rebuild influence in Africa through “reconfigured crisis deployment.”
The expulsion of the ambassador of France and airspace restrictions against Air France signal hardening sovereignty defenses.
Neil Camara
