African Union Suspends Mali after Rogue Soldiers Attack Palace

Renegade Mali soldiers seized the presidential palace and arrested several ministers after a gun battle in an apparent coup bid in the west African nation, but the African Union supended Mali for its mutinous group.


The mutineering soldiers attacked Mali's presidential palace over Wednesday night as a protest over the government's handling of a nomad-led rebellion in the north turned into an all-out attempted coup. 

What is a Coup?
A Coup is sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from a government. "We are in control of the presidential palace," one of the rebels told Agence France-Presse on condition of anonymity on Thursday. He said Foreign Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga was among those held by the officers. The mutineering soldiers attacked Mali's presidential palace overnight as a protest over the government's handling of a nomad-led rebellion in the north turned into an all-out attempted coup. 

AU Chairman Jean Ping told a delegation that met in Ethiopia’s capital on Friday for an emergency peace and security meeting that a mission would deploy to Bamako on Friday. He said Mali is going through a “very serious crisis” and that the coup is a big setback for the country and for all democratic efforts across Africa.

Shops and offices remained shut Friday in Mali's capital, Bamako, as the leaders of a military coup began to lay out plans for governance. Amnesty International reported at least three deaths in the seizure of power Thursday by renegade soldiers.

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UN and EU condemn Mali coup

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