Mali's vice president Colonel Assini Goita has led two military coups within the last nine months.

This time he has been declared interim president following the coup which overthrew his first in command President Bah Ndaw resigned following a series of protests. 

President Ndaw was arrested alongside Prime Minister Moctar Ouane just hours after the announcement of a new cabinet that excluded two key military leaders. 

President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was overthrown by Goita in the wake of mass anti-Government protests just nine months ago.

Colonel Assimi Goita, who led the August 2020 coup and was Ndaw’s deputy in the transitional administration formed in late September with the task of steering the country towards the full civilian rule, said he was not consulted on the reshuffle, which was announced amid rising social tensions including a general strike called by Mali’s main trade union.

Taken to a military base, Ndaw, a retired military officer, and Ouane stepped down on Wednesday. Later in the day, the United Nations Security Council condemned as “unacceptable” a “change of transitional leadership by force, including through forced resignations”.

Mali's constitutional court named Goita the interim president of the country on Friday.