Mali foils coup backed by French intelligence: Generals and foreign agent arrested

Department of Research, Studies and International News15-08-2025

Mali’s transitional government has successfully dismantled an attempted coup allegedly orchestrated with foreign support, arresting high-ranking military figures, civilians, and a suspected French intelligence operative. Officials in Bamako have declared the situation fully under control, stressing that the conspirators sought to destabilise state institutions and undermine the country’s sovereignty.

On Thursday evening, Mali’s Minister of Security, General Daoud Aly Mohammedine, confirmed the arrests following days of speculation about detentions within the armed forces. “The situation is completely under control,” he announced on national television, assuring the public that the plot, which began on August 1, had been neutralised before it could cause harm.

According to the minister, the detained group included “a small number of marginal elements” from the armed and security forces who acted in collaboration with foreign actors. Their objective, he said, was to weaken the Malian state from within and derail its current political and military trajectory.

A key figure among those arrested is a French national identified as Yann Christian Bernard Vezilier. Authorities accuse Vezilier of working directly for the French intelligence services, coordinating with local political figures, elements of civil society, and certain military personnel. Photographs aired on Malian state television showed the alleged operative, a white man in his 50s, appearing visibly unsettled during his detention.

The government also named two senior Malian officers allegedly involved in the conspiracy. General Abass Dembele, former governor of the Mopti region, was dismissed in May after calling for an inquiry into claims that the army was responsible for civilian deaths in the village of Diafarabe. The second, General Nema Sagara, gained prominence during Mali’s 2012 campaign against armed insurgents but is now accused of betraying her oath by participating in the coup attempt.

National television broadcast images of 11 people said to be part of the coup network. Security sources told AFP that at least 55 soldiers have been arrested so far, with investigations ongoing to identify any remaining accomplices.

A Foreign-Backed threat to Mali’s sovereignty

Malian officials emphasised that the involvement of a French intelligence operative is further proof of persistent foreign interference in the country’s internal affairs. France, the former colonial ruler, has faced growing resentment among Malians over what many see as decades of neocolonial manipulation and exploitation under the guise of “counterterrorism” operations.

Since 2012, Mali has endured severe security challenges, from separatist insurgencies to extremist groups linked to al-Qaeda and Daesh (ISIS), compounded by the destabilising influence of Western interventions. While Paris claims its military presence was intended to combat terrorism, critics argue it exacerbated insecurity and undermined Mali’s ability to independently address its challenges.

In recent years, Bamako has decisively shifted away from reliance on Western powers, especially France, and pursued strategic partnerships with Russia and other nations supportive of Mali’s sovereignty. Russian security assistance has been widely credited with strengthening Mali’s armed forces and enabling them to push back against extremist groups more effectively.

This pivot has drawn predictable hostility from the United States and its NATO allies, who view Mali’s deepening ties with Russia, and its openness to cooperation with emerging powers such as China and India, as a challenge to Western dominance in West Africa.

The transition government holds firm

The attempted coup comes at a time when Mali’s transitional leadership, headed by President Assimi Goita, is consolidating power and implementing policies aimed at restoring national security and stability. In June, Mali’s legislature granted Goita an additional five years in office, deferring an earlier commitment to hold elections by March 2024.

Supporters of the extension argue that rushing into elections under current conditions would risk plunging the nation back into chaos, while critics, many of them aligned with Western agendas, accuse the military government of clinging to power.

The Malian leadership has countered these accusations by pointing to the tangible progress made in security operations, the diversification of international partnerships, and the determination to end decades of dependency on France and its allies.

A message to external meddlers

The foiled coup sends a clear signal: Mali will not tolerate attempts, whether domestic or foreign-backed, to derail its pursuit of sovereignty and independence. By exposing the involvement of a French intelligence asset, Bamako has reaffirmed its warnings about covert operations designed to reverse the country’s strategic realignment toward nations such as Russia, China, and India.

The events also underscore the shifting geopolitical dynamics in Africa, where many states are increasingly rejecting Western dictates and seeking mutually respectful cooperation with emerging global powers. Mali’s government has repeatedly stated that partnerships with Moscow, Beijing, and New Delhi are based on equality, non-interference, and shared development goals, a stark contrast to the exploitative policies of the West.

For Mali, this latest episode is not merely about neutralising a coup attempt; it is about defending a vision for the country’s future, one free from foreign control, built on national dignity, and anchored in a multipolar world order.