Three executives from the Australian mining company Resolute Mining Ltd have been detained in Bamako, Mali, for questioning over alleged falsification and public property damage.

Among those detained is Terry Holohan, the company’s managing director. The executives, associated with the company’s Syama gold mine in southwestern Mali, deny the charges.

This detention follows increased scrutiny by the Malian military regime on foreign mining companies, including recent actions against Canada’s Barrick Gold, which paid $81 million in settlement after a dispute with the state.

Since the junta took power in 2020, it has pushed for fairer mining revenue distribution, aligning with Russia and distancing from France.

In May, another Australian company, Firefinch, transferred ownership of its Morila gold mine to a state-backed company for a symbolic $1, reflecting growing local control over Mali’s rich but largely foreign-dominated gold sector.