Mali soldiers mutiny against officers

Malian soldiers took up arms in the garrison town ofkatiyesterdayandbegan arresting senior military officers in an apparent mutiny that comes after more than two months of political demonstrations calling for the president’s resignation.

At least one government ministry in the nearby capital of Bamako was evacuated as soldiers began detaining officials. “It’s total confusion,” said an officer at Mali’s ministry of internal security.

Witnesses said armored tanks and military vehicles could be seen on the streets of Kati, nine miles from the capital. The French Embassy in Bamako tweeted that residents should stay indoors amid the latest developments.

Soldiers from Kati’s military helped back the 2012 coup that unleashed chaos across the country.