# Assimi Goïta **Assimi Goïta** (born 1983, Bamako) is the special-forces officer who has ruled [[Mali]] since leading coups in August 2020 and May 2021. He expelled French troops, brought in the [[Wagner Group]], took Mali out of ECOWAS with [[Burkina Faso]] and [[Niger]] to form the [[Alliance of Sahel States]], dissolved all political parties in May 2025, and in July 2025 signed a law giving himself a five-year term renewable without election "until the country is pacified." He promoted himself to general in October 2024. After the [[2026 Mali Attacks]] killed his defence minister, he reappeared on April 28 alongside Russia's ambassador — while Moscow claimed its [[Africa Corps]] had foiled a coup — and on May 4, 2026 named himself defence minister. ## See Also - [[Mali]] · [[Africa Corps]] · [[Wagner Group]] · [[2026 Mali Attacks]] · [[Alliance of Sahel States]]