Bamako, Mali – A number of high-ranking officials within Mali’s defense and security apparatus have been dismissed from their posts, according to recent decrees. The dismissals have been described as disciplinary measures linked to allegations of endangering state security.
Those affected include Colonel Kassoum Goita, the former head of intelligence services, Colonel Fodi Malick Sissoko, a former presidential aide and governor of the Kidal region, and Police Inspector General Mustapha Diakite. The decisions were formalized through presidential decrees issued earlier this week.
Goita and Diakite were initially detained in November 2021 in connection with what authorities termed an attempted coup and conspiracy against the transitional government. They remain in custody, with their legal representatives asserting that judicial proceedings are ongoing without a final verdict.
Colonel Sissoko was arrested in November 2023 and placed in pre-trial detention on charges of high treason. The charges stem from a leaked phone recording, circulated publicly at the end of that year, purportedly showing him in communication with a prominent leader in northern Mali. The authenticity of the recording has not been independently verified.
These dismissals follow a series of similar actions throughout 2025. Generals Abbas Dembele and Nama Sagara were arrested in August of that year and subsequently dismissed by presidential decree on October 7th. They face accusations of attempting to destabilize state institutions, and their trial is ongoing.
Also impacted is Colonel Alpha Yaya Sangare, an officer in the National Guard and author of a book critical of the country’s security situation. He was arrested in March 2024 following the book’s publication and officially dismissed on December 12, 2025. These events highlight the ongoing security and political tensions within Mali as the transitional government navigates its path forward. DZWatch will continue to monitor developments in this evolving situation.
