Bamako, August 18: Gunfire broke out at an army base near Mali's capital Bamako on Tuesday. According to local media reports, there was gunfire at the army base in Kati, about 15 km outside Bamako. It was not immediately clear who was firing at whom. Notably, a mutiny in Bamako had led to a coup d'etat in 2012. Witnesses said armoured tanks and military vehicles could be seen on the streets of Kati, the Associated Press news agency reported. Mali: Gunmen Ambush Army's Convoy in Southern Part of Country, Kill 24 Soldiers.

Following the gunfire, the Norwegian Embassy in Mali issued an alert for its citizens warning of possible mutiny in Kati. "The embassy has been notified of a mutiny in the Armed Forces and troops are on their way to Bamako. Norwegians should exercise caution and preferably stay at home until the situation is clear," it said. The French Embassy also asked its citizens to stay indoors.

Coup Attempt by Military in Mali:

Mali is facing a political crisis as opponents of the current president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, have led mass protests since June demanding his resignation over economic woes and alleged corruption. At least 14 protesters were killed during three days of clashes with security forces last month, according to the United Nations and human rights activists.

A rebellion at the Kati army base led to a coup that toppled then-President Amadou Toumani Toure and contributed to the fall of northern Mali to jihadist militants in 2012.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 18, 2020 08:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).