Protesters against President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, in Bamako on July 10, 2020. - Baba Ahmed / AP / SIPA

In Mali, the authorities are seeking to calm the game. They released the leaders of the protest demanding a change of power on Monday. However, tension is still high in Bamako after the bloody unrest that stirred the capital over the weekend.

Heavy fire on Monday

Heavy fire was also heard on Monday in the district of Badalabougou, stronghold of the great figure of the protest, Imam Mahmoud Dicko, and main source of tension. Scattered clashes took place between men throwing stones and security forces fighting back with tear gas in streets still littered with projectiles. But without common measure with the confrontations of previous days.

During the weekend, the disturbances left at least 11 civilians killed and dozens more injured, according to hospital emergencies. Prime Minister Boubou Cisse has launched an investigation "to locate the responsibilities and assess the extent of the damage", according to his services. The situation remains volatile and the worried international community has called for restraint on all sides. In a statement, the African Union, the Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the UN and the European Union in Mali also called for the release of the leaders of the protest in order to recreate the conditions of a broken dialogue.

Joint declaration on the socio-political situation in Mali pic.twitter.com/wPFMjdfgiU

- EU in Mali (@UEauMali) July 13, 2020

Progressive releases

This appeal will therefore have been heard. “My three clients Choguel Maïga, Kaou Djim and the imam (Oumarou) Diarra have just been released. Others were released yesterday evening already, in a disorderly manner, "announced Monday one of the lawyers for the opponents, Me Alifa Habib Koné. The lawyer estimated Sunday at twenty the number of arrested opponents, including several leaders of the movement said of June 5, heterogeneous collective which has aggregated against the power. It remains to be seen whether this will be enough to relieve the fever.

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