Mali

A UN Mission in Mali has just reported 19 civilians gathered for a wedding died in a French army air strike targeting jihadists in January in central Mali. France denies any wrongdoing.

After the military coup that deposed former president Boubacar Keïta, Mali appointed the Bah Ndaw as interim president until elections in 2022. Ndaw, a former Defence Minister and retired colonel, will have Colonel Assimi Goita as vice president.

The junta of Mali has come under intense pressure from leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to return power to civilians after the coup on August 18. It is still not clear if a government led by Ndaw would satisfy ECOWAS conditions to avoid economic sanctions and even a total embargo on the landlocked country.

Mali's Air Force Chief Ismail Wague, on behalf of a "National Committee for the Rescue of the People", announced the military's plan for new elections "after a reasonable period of time" during a TV address. "We do not want to hold on to power, but to the stability of the country," said the General. Mali should be equipped with "strong institutions" that would restore the people's confidence in their government. A transitional government should be appointed and new elections organized.

Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta has resigned the presidency of Mali after being detained by soldiers. Keïta addressed the nation and stated he was also dissolving the government and the parliament.

The resignation came hours after Keïta and the former Prime Minister Boubou Cissé were taken to a military camp.

Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairman of the African Union, condemned news of the arrests, in a tweet: "I strongly condemn the arrest of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, the Prime Minister and other members of the Malian Government and call for their immediate release."

For weeks, protests in Mali have been calling for the resignation of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. During these protests, around 20 opposition leaders and political opponents of Keita were arrested. On Monday, they were released in what seemed to be an attempt by Keita to calm tensions in the country.

26 people were killed in an attack in a village in the Mopti region, Central Mali. Allegedly "men dressed in Malian army fatigues" raided Binedama, a Fulani village. The men killed the chief of the village and burned down several buildings. It is unclear who is behind the attack as no group has claimed responsibility yet.

Abdelmalek Droukdel also known as Abu Musab Abdel Wadoud, al-Qaeda's North Africa chief, and several of his close collaborators have been killed by French army forces in northern Mali. Florence Parly, French Minister of the Armed Forces, reported the news on Twitter late Friday night.

In a series of tweets, Parly wrote: "On June 3, the French armed forces, with the support of their partners, neutralised the emir al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQMI), Abdelmalek Droukdal and several of his close collaborators, during an operation in northern Mali. Abdelmalek Droukdal, a member of the al-Qaeda steering committee, commanded all Qaeda groups in North Africa and the Sahel strip, including JNIM, one of the main terrorist groups active in the Sahel."