Unconfirmed reports from the Mali says that the mutineers had arrested President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita swept Bamako, prompting hundreds of anti-government protesters to pour into a central square to celebrate and say it was time for him to resign.
Neither source said who the officials were or how many had been arrested. Reuters has seen no evidence that Keita was among those rounded up. The president’s office could not be reached for comment.
“Yes, mutiny. The military has taken up arms,” the security source said earlier after residents reported hearing gunshots. It was not immediately clear how many soldiers were involved.
A Malian military spokesman confirmed that gunshots were fired at the base in Kati, about 15 km (9 miles) from the capital, but said he did not have any further information.
A mutiny in 2012 at the Kati base led to a coup that toppled then-President Amadou Toumani Toure and contributed to the fall of northern Mali to jihadist militants, who continue to operate across the north and centre of the country.
A European diplomat said a relatively small number of members of the National Guard, apparently angered by a pay dispute, had seized a munitions depot on Tuesday but were then reported to have been surrounded by other government troops.
A French military source said discussions were taking place between Mali’s army command and the mutineers.
In Bamako, hundreds of people poured into the square around the Independence Monument, the site of mass protests since June, calling for Keita to quit over alleged corruption and worsening security.
Keep tune for detail of this breaking news compiled by Reuters news agency
