Mali Government Forces Maintain Control After Coup Attempt, Russia Says

MOSCOW, April 29. /TASS/. Key cities and strategic regions of Mali are securely held by government forces, Fousseynou Ouattara, vice president of the Defense and Security Commission within the Transitional National Council, told TASS. "As for Bamako, Kati, Gao, and Sevare, the situation is fully under control and security is being ensured by our defense and security forces with support from instructors of the Africa Corps," the official said. He emphasized that attempts by terrorists to destabilize these localities had been successfully thwarted and units of the Malian army remain on high combat alert. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, on April 25, illegal armed groups attempted a coup d'etat in Mali. Units of the Africa Corps prevented the coup from succeeding and averted mass civilian casualties. The militants in Mali lost over 2,500 fighters and 102 vehicles. The fighters had been trained for the coup by Ukrainian and European mercenary instructors. Units of the Africa Corps continue to carry out their assigned tasks in Mali and remain on standby to repel any militant attacks.