French embassy employee arrested in Mali

17/8/2025 6:09

A French man arrested in Mali

is a member of the French embassy in the capital Bamako and

accusations against him are "unfounded", the French foreign

office said in a statement to Reuters on Saturday.



The embassy worker, named as Yann Vezilier by the Malian

government in a statement on Thursday, was arrested in recent

weeks alongside two generals and other military personnel and

accused of participating in an alleged plot to destabilise the

West African nation.



"Dialogue is underway to clear up any misunderstanding," the

ministry statement said. It added that his arrest was in

violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.



France's once close relationship with its former colonies in

West Africa's Sahel region has soured in recent years since a

series of military coups overthrew governments in Mali, Burkina

Faso and Niger.