France on Tuesday (local time) condemned the ousting of transitional leaders in Mali as Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian called for an urgent UN Security Council meeting to discuss the case.
"France condemns with the greatest firmness the violent act that occurred in Mali yesterday," Le Drian told Parliament on Tuesday, reported allAfrica.
"We demand the liberation" of President Bah Ndaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane after strongman Assimi Goita stripped them of their powers, he said, characterizing their detention as "violent acts."
Earlier, the military junta in Mali arrested President Bah Ndaw, Prime Minister Moctar Ouane and Defence minister Souleymane Doucoure of the country's interim government following a cabinet reshuffle on Monday.
The transitional leaders were initially installed after the military coup d'etat in August in order to return the country to a civilian government after the coup, reported allAfrica.
Former defense minister Bah Ndaw was then appointed to be interim president and former foreign minister Moctar Ouane became interim PM to oversee the 18-month transition period in the run-up to the new elections that will return Mali to civilian rule
Le Drian demanded their safety and called the immediate resumption of the transition process, that is slated to restore civilian rule within 18 months.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron is pulling out all the stops using diplomatic channels to condemn the coup, including threatening sanctions by the European Union, reported allAfrica.
"We are ready in the coming hours to take targeted sanctions" against those responsible, Macron said in Brussels after a summit of bloc's 27 leaders.
On Twitter, European Council President Charles Michel said he had spoken to Ghana President and current Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) regional bloc chair, Nana Okufo-Addo, reported allAfrica.
"The EU stands directly behind the mediation efforts of ECOWAS," tweeted Michel.
( With inputs from ANI )
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