News / News Bulletin

Mali police crack down on anti-government protesters on eve of Indpendence Day

Friday, 21 September 2018 11:04 PM [ Last Update: Friday, 21 September 2018 11:07 PM ]

A protester carries a sign reading "IBK get out" at a banned opposition demonstration to protest presidential election results on September 21, 2018, in Bamako. (AFP)

Police fired tear gas in parts of Mali's capital Bamako on Friday, September 21, to disperse anti-government protesters who planned to drive to the Labour Exchange and stage a sit-in overnight on the eve of Independence Day celebrations.

A man runs past burning tyres in the road at a banned opposition demonstration to protest presidential election results on September 21, 2018, in Bamako. (AFP)

The demonstration was called by civil society groups opposed to the election of Ibrahim Boubacar Keita last month. Opposition leader Soumaila Cisse, who lost to Keita, claimed the election to be fraudulent and the result of widespread vote rigging.

Keita was sworn in on September 4 after winning a landslide re-election despite escalating attacks by militants and clashes between herders and pastoralists that have killed hundreds of civilians this year. He chose Independence Day on September 22 to celebrate his victory publicly.

Mali has been in turmoil since Tuareg rebels and loosely allied militants took over the desert north in 2012. French forces intervened the following year to allegedly fight back the militants, but they have since regrouped.

Protesters react during clashes with police at a banned opposition demonstration to protest presidential election results on September 21, 2018, in Bamako. (AFP)

French Foreign Minister Jean Yves Le Drian will be at the celebrations on Saturday, September 22, when he is expected to press Keita to move more quickly to bring into force faltering peace accords with rebels as militants keep up actions to destabilize the West African country.

France has kept about 4,500 troops in the region as part of the operations. French officials acknowledge Paris is likely to remain in the zone area for the next decade.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk