Opposition supporters flooded into Bamako’s Central square on Friday to celebrate the overthrow of Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, where they were warmly praised by the country’s new military rulers.
Thousands gathered in the capital’s independence square, the birth place of a months long protest movement, many of them draped in Mali’s national flag and blasting vuvuzela horns.
They rallied three days after mutyning troops seized the country’s unpopular 75 years old president, forced him to announce his resignation and unveiled a junta that would rule until a “transitional president” takes over.
In contrast to fierce condemnation abroad at the overthrow of an elected leader, many in the square were jubilant and shouted their approval when the junta came to pay tribute for the public’s part in the drama.
“We have come here to thank you, to thank the Malian public for it’s support,” the junta’s spokesmen Ismael Wague, told the crowd.
“We merely completed the work that you began and we recognize ourselves in your fight.”
Keira’s downfall came after months of protests, staged by a loose coalition called The June 5 Movement, that were fuelled by anger at failures to stem a bloody jihadist insurgency, revive the economy and tackle corruption.
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