UN secretary-general calls for immediate restoration of order in Mali

Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary-general, has condemned the arrest of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita of Mali and members of his government by mutinying soldiers on Tuesday and called for immediate restoration of constitutional order and the rule of law in the country.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary- general, said Guterres demands the immediate and unconditional release of Keita and members of his cabinet.

The secretary-general called for a negotiated solution and peaceful resolution of their differences and expressed his full support to the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States in their efforts to find a peaceful solution to the current crisis in Mali.

Guterres called on all stakeholders, especially defense and security forces, to exercise maximum restraint and uphold the human rights and individual freedoms of all Malians.

Moussa Faki Mahamat, the chairman of the African Union Commission, also condemned the arrest of the president and the top officials and called for their immediate release.

Faki called for concerted efforts by the international community to oppose the use of force to end political crisis in the country.

The 75-year-old Keita and top officials were detained in an apparent coup attempt on Tuesday and are being held at a military camp near the capital, Bamako.

Following the arrest Keita announced his resignation early Wednesday morning in a television broadcast to avoid bloodshed in the country. He also announced dissolution of the government and the national assembly.

Mali has been experiencing unrest since May following disputed elections, in addition to high unemployment among young people and poor economic performance.