Mali’s interim President Colonel Assimi Goita narrowly escaped a knife attack at the Grand Mosque in the country’s capital Bamako during the Eid-al-Adha prayers.

Mali’s presidency has confirmed the incident.

According to the president’s office official Twitter handle, an attacker wielding a knife made an attempt to stab Goita but luckily the president’s security detail acted swiftly and subdued the assailant.


The attack was executed just when the Imam was directing worshippers outside the mosque for the ritual animal sacrifice.

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The attacker’s knife however did not spare an unfortunate individual who was on the scene. 

Goita was whisked away from the scene though it is not yet established immediately whether the president was hurt during the attack.

The president’s office as well as two other military sources later confirmed that the president was unharmed in the attack and is safe and sound.

Investigations are ongoing to establish the cause of the attack.

The 37-year old president who was sworn into office just last month has been facing diplomatic reprisals after grabbing power twice in only 9 months.

Goita led a military coup that ousted the embattled President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita following a month of government targeted protests over corruption allegations and the security crisis in Mali.

While serving as Mali’s vice president in a transitional government, Goita seized power once again after falling out with the interim President Bah Ndaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane.

He accused them of failure to consult him about a cabinet reshuffle they did.