Mali's military government has announced the arrest of a French national, Yann Vezilier, suspected of espionage aimed at undermining the country's stability. During a recent televised address, Mali's Security Minister Gen Daoud Aly Mohammedine claimed that Vezilier was working for the French intelligence services and had ties to a conspiracy involving several military figures.
Speculation surrounding a possible coup intensified before the arrests, with the minister stating that individuals within the armed forces sought to destabilize the government with assistance from foreign powers. So far, over 55 soldiers and two high-ranking generals have been detained as part of the ongoing investigation.
Political unrest has escalated in Mali, especially following the arrests of former Prime Ministers Moussa Mara and Choguel Maïga, both accused of damaging the state's reputation. The junta's promise of elections has repeatedly been delayed, raising concerns among citizens about the direction of the government.
As Mali collaborates with Russian allies against jihadist threats, tensions with France, its former colonial ruler, have flared up, prompting a focus on national security amid an unstable backdrop.
