 And West Africa officials who were heading for Mali plunged into crisis after the military detained the president, prime minister and defense minister in what international bodies called an attempted coup. President Bando, prime minister Mokhtangkwane and defense minister Soleiman Dokore were taken to a military base in Kati outside the capital, Bomaco, on Monday, 24th. Because after two members of the military, a delegation from the main regional decision-making body Echo has visited Bomaco on Tuesday. Mali has been in turmoil since an earlier coup in 2012 triggered an ethnic charge rebellion in the north which was then hijacked by Al Qaeda-linked jihadists. French forces intervened to drive back the Islamists in 2013, but they have since regrouped and expanded their reach to neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger.