Just months after a millatry coup saw the installation of the new regime in Mali, the country’s president, prime minister and defence ministers have been detained by millitary officers.

The move followed a cabinet reshuffle that saw two officers in the military lose their positions.

President Bah Ndaw, Prime Minister Moctar Ouane and defence minister Souleymane Doucoure have reportedly been taken to a military base in Kati which is located outside Bamako.

These developments have sparked massive tension in the country which is characterised by violent Islamist groups linked to al Qaeda.

The move comes barely a year after the detention and the subsequent ouster of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August last year.

Sources say the sacking of key leaders who were pillars of the August coup led to the detention of the three .

According to Reuters, United Nations’ mission in Mali has called for the group’s “immediate and unconditional”.

The news agency reports that the UN says those who have detained the leaders will be held accountable for their actions.

A multi-agency team is expected to tour Bamako on Tuesday in a step aimed at restoring order in the country.

“A delegation from the top regional decision-making body ECOWAS will visit Bamako on Tuesday to help resolve the “attempted coup”, ECOWAS, the U.N., African Union, European Union and several European countries,” read a joint statement by the organs as quoted by Reuters.

Ndaw and Ouane had been tasked with overseeing an 18-month transition back to civilian rule after the August takeover, but they appear to have moved against the military’s control over a number of key positions.

Additional reporting by Reuters