Mali's Military Junta Defiant in Face of International Pressure

March 28, 2012 from Al Jazeera English

West African nations say that they have put a peacekeeping force on standby and are sending a delegation to Mali to end the crisis there. Hashem Ahelbarra met with the leader of the military group that has seized power in the country, Captain Amadou Sanogo, and has this exclusive report from the capital Bamako.

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Mali

Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mali is bordered by Algeria to the north, Niger to the east, Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire to the south, Guinea to the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania to the west. Its size is just over 1,24... Explore this topic

Amadou Sanogo

Captain Amadou Haya Sanogo (born 1972 or 1973) is a Malian military officer and the leader of the 2012 Malian coup d'état against President Amadou Toumani Toure. He proclaimed himself the leader of the National Committee for Recovering Democracy and Restoring the State (CNRDRE... Explore this topic

Coup d'état

A coup d'état, also known as a coup, a putsch, or an overthrow, is the sudden deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to depose the extant government and replace it with another body, civil or military. A ... Explore this topic

Military of Mali

Mali's armed forces are the Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Guard, and National Police (Sûreté Nationale). They number some 7,000 and are under the control of the Minister of Armed Forces and Veterans. The IISS Military Balance 2009 lists an Army of 7,... Explore this topic

National Committee for the Restoration of Democracy and State (CNRDR)

Representatives of the Malian armed forces calling themselves the National Committee for the Restoration of Democracy and State (CNRDR) appeared on Mali's state television channel on March 21, 2012, claiming to have seized power from President Amadou Toumani Toure. Explore this topic

Military junta

A junta or military junta is a government led by a committee of military leaders. The term derives from the Spanish word junta meaning committee or meeting, specifically a board of directors. Sometimes it becomes a military dictatorship, though the terms are not synonymous. Explore this topic

Bamako

Bamako is the capital and largest city of Mali, with a population of 1.8 million. In 2006, it was estimated to be the fastest growing city in Africa and sixth fastest in the world. It is located on the Niger River, near the rapids that divide the upper and middle Niger valleys... Explore this topic

Amadou Toumani Touré

Amadou Toumani Touré is a Malian politician who was President of Mali from 2002 to 2012. Touré was head of President Moussa Traoré's personal guard when a popular revolution overthrew the regime in March 1991 and Colonel Touré arrested the President and led the revolution. He ... Explore this topic

ECOWAS

The Economic Community of West African States is a regional group of fifteen West African countries. Founded on 28 May 1975, with the signing of the Treaty of Lagos, its mission is to promote economic integration across the region. Considered one of the pillars of the African ... Explore this topic

Peacekeeping

Peacekeeping refers to activities that tend to create conditions that favor lasting peace. It is thus distinguishable from both peacebuilding and peacemaking; however, many scholars and theorists disagree about the definitions of all three terms. Some of these refer to peacema... Explore this topic

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Mali

Amadou Sanogo

Coup d'état

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