Mali's prime minister has been arrested and forced to dissolve the government by soldiers who orchestrated a military coup earlier this year, Adam Nossiter of The New York Times reports.
The removal of Prime Minister Cheick Modibo Diarra late Monday throws a wrench into international plans to recapture northern Mali from al-Qaeda-linked radicals who now control two-thirds of the country.
The 'gangster-jihadists' who currently run northern Mali have installed strict Shariah law in the north, leading to barbaric conditions including stonings, child soldiers and a complete ban of music.
Hundreds of foreign jihadists have entered the country to defend the area against a proposed offensive by UN-backed African forces, but the dissolution of the Malian government will likely delay plans for military intervention.
That delay seems to be exactly what the military wants as The Washington Post reports that Diarra's petitioning for international help caused tension with military Capt. Amadou Sanogo. Sanogo, who led the March coup, reportedly believes that the muddled Mali's military could recapture the north on its own.
U.S. and UN officials have said that they won't support intervention until constitutional rule is restored and democratic elections are held. Until then, the Malian military controls the south and the jihadists control the north.
SEE ALSO: The 'Gangster-Jihadists' Who Run Northern Mali Built Their Empire Off Ransom And Drug Payments
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