Armed, hooded men abducted a former Malian minister and prominent critic of the ruling junta from his home in Bamako, according to a family member, as the government intensifies its crackdown following a wave of deadly attacks.
Abduction Details
Mountaga Tall's residence was stormed shortly before midnight on Saturday, his relative Mahmoud Touré told The Associated Press. The assailants did not identify themselves or provide a reason for the seizure, but Touré stated they were from the armed forces. “They did not explain why and did not present an arrest warrant,” he said. “The soldiers mistreated Mountaga Tall’s wife and took his phone.”
Tall served as Mali's education and science minister from 2016 to 2017 and leads the National Congress for Democratic Initiative, a political party opposed to the military government. As a lawyer, he represents politicians and individuals arrested for criticizing the junta.
Context of Recent Attacks
On April 26, Mali experienced one of the largest coordinated attacks on its army in Bamako and other cities, launched by jihadis and rebels who seized several towns and military bases. Several people were killed, including Defense Minister Sadio Camara. The Islamic militant group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and the Tuareg-led Azawad Liberation Front jointly carried out the assault, the heaviest on the government since 2012.
On Friday, the military government claimed to have evidence that soldiers collaborated with the groups to execute the attacks. Since then, a wave of arrests has been carried out. Tall's family has filed a complaint regarding “kidnapping and disappearance” with security forces. The government has not commented on the arrests.
