Unconfirmed reports indicate that mutinying soldiers have arrested Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and Prime Minister Boubou Cisse.
Videos have emerged on social media showing a convoy of vehicles surrounded by troops, with some users alleging that the president had been taken into custody.
Earlier, Cisse urged mutinying soldiers to stand down and called for dialogue to resolve the situation.
Reports of the mutiny first emerged after gunfire was heard at an army base outside the capital, Bamako.
The mutiny has been condemned by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which said in a statement the act would complicate “an already very complex socio-political context.”
ECOWAS urged the military to return to their barracks and reiterated calls for dialogue to resolve the crisis facing Mali.
The mutiny has also been condemned by France and the U.S.
The latest development comes amidst a political crisis in Mali, where thousands of protesters have been camping in the streets of the capital city, calling for the resignation of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.
Protests broke out in June, led by an opposition coalition after a contested local election and perceived government corruption.
