Ibrahima Dahirou Dembélé

Dembélé was born on January 9, 1967, in Ségou, Mali.^[1] He graduated from the Kati Military Academy in 1981, and entered the Koulikoro Joint Military School in Koulikoro in 1998. Following his graduation from Koulikoro in 1991, he commanded several units in northern and central Mali.^[1] Dembélé became the Malian chief of staff on March 28, 2012, after the 2012 Malian coup d'état, although he was dismissed by newly elected president Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta in November 2013 and replaced by Mahamane Touré.^[2] Dembélé was accused of "passive complicity" over the killing of 21 paratroopers from the 33rd Parachute Commando Regiment, and was relieved from judicial control in January 2018.^[3][4] He was appointed on May 5, 2019, as Minister of Defense by the Boubou Cissé government.^[1][3]

Dembélé was arrested and sacked from his position during the 2020 Malian coup d'état.^[5]