Bamako: Malian authorities have arrested two dozen soldiers accused of plotting to overthrow the ruling junta, which itself came to power in the West African country through a coup, sources told AFP on Sunday. The arrests, which include a high-ranking general, come amid growing discontent within the army and ongoing instability in Mali.

According to France24.com, since seizing power in Mali through back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021, the West African country’s junta has increased repression of its critics amid widespread jihadist unrest. A Malian security source reported that there have been at least around 20 arrests related to an attempt to destabilize the institutions over the past three days.

A member of the National Transition Council, the junta-backed parliament, mentioned “around 50 arrests,” stating that all detainees are soldiers whose objective was to overthrow the junta.

Since 2012, Mali has faced crises on multiple fronts, with militants linked to Al-Qaeda or Islamic State groups conducting violent attacks across the Sahel nation. Criminal and sectarian violence are also prevalent, and the economy is struggling. Following the coups, the junta distanced itself from France, seeking independence from its former colonial ruler, similar to its military-run allies in Niger and Burkina Faso. The junta has formed alliances with new partners, notably Russia, whose mercenaries from the paramilitary Wagner group and its successor Africa Corps have aided the military in combating jihadists and other internal adversaries.

Despite these efforts, Mali, like Niger and Burkina Faso, continues to struggle with the jihadist threat, and the regular army along with its Russian allies are frequently accused of committing atrocities against civilians. Malian sociologist Oumar Maiga remarked that this latest purge indicates that the officers are struggling to control the situation, with discontent growing within the army’s ranks. Some soldiers are reportedly unhappy with the preferential treatment given to Russian mercenaries over Malian soldiers.

In July, a bill passed by the military-appointed legislative body granted Mali’s junta chief, General Assimi Goita, a five-year presidential mandate, renewable as many times as necessary and without elections. The military government had initially promised to return to civilian rule in March 2024.