Rebel soldiers in Mali seize control of country

Appearing on Malian state TV, rebel troops announced the seizure of control of the country just hours after attacking the presidential palace.

A nationwide curfew was also imposed and the constitution suspended by rebel troops who also staged a rebellion on Wednesday and shot at government soldiers.

Wednesday saw the beginning of the unrest as the Malian defence minister toured military barracks but soldiers fired in the air during the inspection.

The rebels claimed that insufficient arms were being provided by the government to fight a rebellion by ethnic Tuaregs.

After taking control of state the radio and TV broadcaster, rebels took both off air and after several hours of music and dancing footage, a group of the rebel soldiers went on air early this morning.

A caption on screen identified the group of rebellions as the ‘Committee for the re-establishment of democracy and the restoration of the state’ and a spokesperson said the ‘incompetent regime’ of President Amadou Toumani Toure had been ended.

The spokesperson, identified on screen as Lieutenant Amadou Konare criticised the ‘inability’ of the government to battle terrorism.

The soldiers said that they would consider handing over power to a democratically elected government but Toure has yet to release any form of reaction.