République du Mali

Note: On March 22, 2012, Malian soldiers overthrew the democratically elected government of Amadou Touré in Bamako in a coup. In response to the government’s inability to halt the power of the Tourag rebels seeking autonomy in the northern portion of Mali, mutinous soldiers stormed the presidential palace and assumed power over the African country. The military forces suspended Mali’s constitution and further elections indefinitely. There were also eyewitness accounts of looting and pillaging in the capital city. International observers condemned the coup, citing it as a significant setback for democracy in Africa. The French government suspended most cooperation with Mali, and the United States called on the military to stand down and restore power to the legitimate, democratically elected government.

Political ...