BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Malis coup leader has been sworn in as president of a transitional government, solidifying his grip on power in the West African nation after carrying out his second coup d’etat in nine months. The inauguration ceremony for Col. Assimi Goita in the capital Monday came as Mali faces increasing isolation from the international community over the junta’s power grab. Already the African Union has suspended Mali’s membership and France has temporarily suspended joint military operations with the Malian military in an effort to exert pressure on Goita to step aside. Many fear that continued political instability in Mali could further embolden Islamic extremists who have been carrying out attacks for nearly a decade in the country’s north.
