This archive report was first published on 26 July 2021.
On Sunday, authorities in Mali announced the death of the sole suspect in an alleged attempted assassination of the country's interim President, Colonel Assimi Goita.
According to a government statement, the suspect died in hospital while in detention, amid ongoing investigations into the attack on Colonel Goita during Eid prayers at the Grand Mosque in Bamako, the capital city.
The suspect, whose identity remains undisclosed, was detained last Tuesday after attempting to stab Colonel Goita. He reportedly sustained injuries after being taken into custody.
Investigations into the attack are ongoing, with preliminary findings indicating that the suspect did not act alone. The government has assured that the suspect's death will not hinder the investigation, and a post-mortem examination will be conducted to determine the cause of death.
Colonel Goita, who was taken away from the scene of the attack, later addressed the issue on state television, assuring that he was doing fine. He stated that the attacker was part of an unnamed group trying to destabilize the country.
Colonel Goita reiterated this during a meeting with religious and traditional leaders who visited him at his office on Friday. He expressed his willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice if that was God's plan for him in his mission to save Mali.
Colonel Goita is leading a one-year term of a transitional government installed after the overthrow of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August 2020.
