MALIAN military leader General Assimi Goita sacked Prime Minister Choguel Maiga and his government on Wednesday.

The dismissal of Mr Maiga, who had criticised the military regime just days before, was announced in a presidential decree issued by Gen Goita and read on state television channel ORTM.

Mali has been ruled by military leaders since a group of officers seized power in 2020, with another coup taking place the following year.

In June 2022, the junta promised a return to civilian rule by March this year, but  elections were later postponed. No date has been set yet for the presidential ballot, nor has a new prime minister yet been announced.

Mr Maiga, appointed by the military two years ago, had accused the junta of postponing the elections without informing him. Addressing a rally of his supporters on Saturday, he said that confusion over an end to the transition could pose “serious challenges and the risk of going backwards.”

The prime minister’s statement sparked demonstrations against him across the country.

His sacking came a week after the arrest of one of Mali’s top politicians for criticising the military rulers of neighbouring Burkina Faso.

Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso are all now ruled by military leaders who have pledged to break ties with France, the Sahel region’s former colonial power.