Mali’s President Says He Was Unharmed in Stabbing Attempt

This image taken from video shows Mali's interim president Assimi Goita (C) as he sits with others during Eid al-Adha prayers at The Grande Mosque in Bamako, Mali, on July 20, 2021, before he was attacked by armed men. Malick Konate/AFP via Getty Images

BAMAKO, Mali—Mali’s interim President Assimi Goita said he was unharmed after a man tried to stab him Tuesday at the Grand Mosque in the capital amid celebrations for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Goita, a special forces colonel who staged two coups within nine months to become the transitional leader, spoke to the West African nation in a special television broadcast.