The head of Mali’s military junta appoints himself to the highest rank in the army

Associated Press

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — The head of the military junta that seized power in Mali in 2020 has promoted himself to the rank of army general with special title: Colonel Assimi Goita of the land army, the highest military distinction held only by two former heads of state in the country’s history. The move by Col. Assimi Goita is a sign that he has no intention of ceding power to civilians in the landlocked West African country. “This is another indication that junta leaders will continue to position themselves as the only rulers, and have no intention of having a democratic transition into civilian rule anytime soon,” said Rida Lyammouri,  senior fellow at the Morocco-based Policy Center for the New South.