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Authorities in Mali have confirmed the detention of two top generals, multiple soldiers, and a French citizen, alleging their involvement in a foreign-supported plot to destabilize the state.

Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, last week reports began to emerge that Mali thwarted an attempted coup aimed at overthrowing the military junta led by General Assimi Goïta. Security forces arrested between 20 and 50 soldiers, many of whom were members of the national guard under the command of Defense Minister Sadio Camara, an increasingly influential figure who is rumored to be at odds with Goïta. Among those allegedly detained were high-ranking officers, including General Abass Dembele, a veteran of northern Mali’s conflicts, and Air Force General Nema Sagara, one of the country’s few senior female military leaders.

What’s going on now: In a notable development, Mali confirmed the arrest of two senior generals, dozens of soldiers, and French national Yann Christian Bernard Vezilier over what authorities describe as a conspiracy to destabilize the country. Security Minister General Daoud Aly Mohammedine said the attempted coup was launched on August 1 and claimed it included both soldiers and civilians who had backing from outside powers. National television aired pictures of 11 alleged participants, among them the arrested generals.

The most high-profile detainee, Yann Vezilier, was portrayed by Malian officials as a French operative allegedly tasked with connecting local politicians, civil society members, and military officers on Paris’s behalf. Officials claimed his actions fit into a wider push by external governments to weaken Mali’s sovereignty and disrupt its institutions.

France, however, dismissed the accusations, insisting Vezilier was a staff member at its Bamako embassy and therefore covered by protections under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The French Foreign Ministry called the accusations “unjustified” and emphasized that his detention was a violation of international law.

French diplomats said they were in discussions with Malian officials to resolve the dispute and demanded his prompt release.