Mali coup leaders in polls U-turn

The junior officer who overthrew Mali’s democratically elected leader last month and dissolved the nation’s constitution has made a public U-turn, declaring amid enormous international pressure that he is reinstating the 1992 constitution and planning to hold elections.

Captain Amadou Haya Sanogo added that he would organise a national convention to agree on a transitional government which will organise free and fair elections.

What he did not make clear is when the convention would be held, or when elections would take place, or if he would remain president during the transitional period.

Capt Sanogo’s announcement came as Tuareg rebels penetrated and seized control of the ancient northern city of Timbuktu, a move that deepens the crisis in the West African nation.

Tuareg rebels took advantage of the chaos surrounding last week’s coup in the faraway capital to take the town of Kidal, located 800 miles from Bamako on Friday. They seized the biggest northern city of Gao, located around 745 miles away on Saturday – cities which had never fallen in previous rebellions.

A resident in Timbuktu said that the rebels entered the town after a heavy firefight, and were going house to house asking people to remain calm.

Mali, once a model democracy, was plunged into crisis on March 21 when a mutiny erupted at the Kati military camp located around six miles from the presidential palace. The 30-something Capt Sanogo was one of the few officers who did not flee the camp when the rank-and-file soldiers began rioting, and he quickly became their leader as they broke into the camp’s armoury, grabbing automatic weapons and headed for the seat of government.

His coup reverses 21 years of democracy, and sent President Amadou Toumani Toure into hiding.

Mr Toure was due to step down after the presidential election, which was scheduled to take place at the end of this month. Mali’s neighbours had given the country a 72-hour deadline to restore constitutional order, or else face crippling sanctions. Capt Sanogo’s declaration appears intended to stave off the sanctions, which were due to take effect Monday.