The Sahel nation is mired in a deep political crisis and is also affected by continuous attacks by armed Islamist groups.

General Abass Dembele, former governor of the Mopti region (center) and a respected figure within the army, is among those arrested, according to security sources cited by the local press.

Since 2012, Mali has been mired in a deep crisis fueled by violence from groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS), as well as criminal groups.

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