Mali’s junta leader sworn in as president

Col Assimi Goïta, the leader of Mali’s junta, has officially been sworn in as the country’s interim president and promised “credible, fair and transparent elections”. These are expected in February next year, AFP reports.

Two weeks ago he had removed the transitional president and prime minister in a coup – the second he’d engineered in nine months.

Events in Mali have drawn condemnation from its Ecowas neighbors and the African Union – both of whom suspended Mali’s membership. Meanwhile France has halted joint military operations with Mali.

News agencies have yet to publish any photos from Monday’s ceremony but here was the scene in the capital Bamako shortly beforehand: