The incident reportedly took place at the Great Mosque in Bamako on Tuesday, July 20.
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Drama inside mosque as Mali's President is attacked with knife while praying (video)
A dramatic and heart-stopping video has emerged in which Malis interim President Assimi Goita was attacked by a knife-wielding assailant who invaded the mosque where he was observing Eid al-Adha prayers.
Mali's President was attacked with knife during Eid prayers
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The video which is currently circulating online shows the moment the assailant stormed the mosque unexpectedly while the prayer was ongoing.
He then walked straight to President Assimi Goita who was adorned in a sky-blue kaftan and seated among other Muslims and attacked him.
He first made a loud scream to ostensibly scare other congregants away and then held the President by his neck.
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Fortunately, before the attacker could stab the President, his security guards pounced on and overpowered him.
Reports say the assailant had another accomplice who was also arrested by the security officers guarding the President.
They threw one of them into the back of a military pickup truck.
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Assimi Goita was quickly surrounded by security agents who whisked him out of the mosque.
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