The military leadership in Mali has undergone a major reshuffle less than two weeks after a series of coordinated attacks shook the country.
Junta leader Assimi Goita appointed Elisée Jean Dao as the new Chief of the General Staff of the armed forces on Wednesday.
Dao, previously a brigadier general in the National Guard, was promoted to the rank of major general before assuming the role.
He replaces Oumar Diarra, who has now been appointed Minister Delegate to the Minister of Defence—a position currently overseen by Goita in his capacity as transitional president.
The changes come in the aftermath of last month’s attacks, which also claimed the life of former Defence Minister Sadio Camara in a car bombing.
Military authorities said they have “solid evidence” suggesting that some members of the armed forces were involved in the planning, coordination, and execution of the attacks.
In the wake of the violence, reports indicate that several military personnel and opposition figures have been detained or abducted.
Among those reportedly affected are opposition figures Mountaga Tall, Youssouf Daba Diawara, and Moussa Djire, according to security sources cited by AFP.
Tall, a lawyer, was reportedly taken in Bamako on May 2 by unidentified armed men. He is alleged to have been involved in plotting against the military government from abroad, accusations his family and allies deny.
Security sources also linked Diawara and Djire to prominent opposition figures, including Imam Mahmoud Dicko and Oumar Mariko, both of whom are currently in exile.
At least two additional civilians associated with opposition networks have also been arrested following the attacks, according to judicial sources.
A political official, speaking anonymously, suggested that the post-attack security response may be broadening beyond security threats.
“Everything suggests that these events are being used as an opportunity to carry out a purge within the political opposition and the army,” the official said.
The latest developments highlight growing instability in Mali, where the military government has faced persistent security challenges since taking power.
