Rebel military leader Captain Amadou Sanogo led a March 22 coup in Mali, which deposed democratically-elected President Amadou Toumani Touré. Sanogo cited frustration with Touré's handling of an insurgency by members of the Tuareg ethnic group in northern Mali as the reason for the coup.
Sanogo's rebel army is said to mostly comprise of junior soldiers, who were discontent with being sent to fight the Tuaregs. A small faction of the military has remained loyal to Touré and is believed to be protecting the deposed leader.
Meanwhile, neighboring countries have imposed sanctions on Mali's financial and energy sectors, imporing Sanogo to reinstate the nation's constitution, which was dissolved following the coup. Sanogo has promised to restore Mali's 1992 constitution and to hold elections, but did not specify a date.
Click to the slideshow to see pictures of Sanogo and his rebel army.
A Malian junta soldier stands guard with his gun at their headquaters in Kati outside Bamako April 3, 2012. REUTERSA Malian junta soldier holds a gun as he stands guard in the headquarters in Kati, outside Bamako April 3, 2012.REUTERSMalian junta soldiers patrol in Kati, outside Bamako April 3 ,2012.REUTERSMalian junta soldiers patrol a road in Kati, outside Mali's capital Bamako, April 1, 2012. REUTERSMali's junta leader Captain Amadou Sanogo speaks during a new news conference at his headquarters in Kati April 3, 2012REUTERSMali's junta leader Captain Amadou Sanogo (C) arrives with Burkina Faso's foreign affairs minister Djibril Bassole to attend a news conference in Kati, outside Mali's capital Bamako, April 1, 2012.REUTERSA Malian junta soldier is seen wearing a badge of junta leader Captain Amadou Sanogo's portrait as he stands guard in Kati, outside Mali's capital Bamako, April 1, 2012.REUTERSMalian junta soldiers stand guard at their headquarters in Kati, outside Mali's capital Bamako, April 1, 2012.REUTERSMalian junta soldiers stand guard at their headquarters in Kati, outside Mali's capital Bamako, April 1, 2012.REUTERSSoldiers in Mali's post-coup ruling junta patrol their headquarters in Kati, outside the West African nation's capital, Bamako, this week. REUTERSMalian junta soldiers patrol a road in Kati, outside Mali's capital Bamako, April 1, 2012. REUTERS
