Key event

March 2012 military coup

21 – 22 Mar 2012 Kati / Bamako

What happened

Junior officers under Captain Sanogo, mutinying at Kati over the government's handling of the northern war, overthrow President Touré weeks before scheduled elections.

The coup meant to save the north accelerated its loss: within ten days the three northern regional capitals fell. It also set the template — military seizure of power justified by security failure — repeated in 2020 and 2021.

Confidence: High

When21 – 22 Mar 2012
WhereKati / Bamako
KindPolitical · Leadership change
ArenaState authority and military rule

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Where this fits

This is one entry in the Sahel timeline. The full Key Events surface carries every dated turning point with its filters and its essential subset, and this event in place shows what came before and after it. How Vigil grades, dates and sources its claims is set out in the methodology.