Modibo Koné

Modibo Koné (born 1977) is a Malian politician and military officer who served as the director of National Security Agency since 2021. He was a prominent figure in the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP), which came to power in the 2021 Malian coup d'état. Koné is known for being one of the five main figures of the CNSP. He was seriously injured during the 2026 Mali attacks.

Biography

Koné was born in Bamako, Mali in 1977. He was a graduate of the Kati Combined Arms Military School. After Kati, he continued his training at the Koulikoro Combined Arms Military School, and took training courses in China. After completing his training, Koné served in the Malian National Guard, where he fought against rebel groups. He was known to have been stationed in Konna at the start of the Mali War, and likely participated in the Battle of Konna.

Koné participated in the 2020 Malian coup d'état as part of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP) as the third vice-president, behind Assimi Goïta and Bah Ndaw respectively. According to Jeune Afrique, sources close to Kone said that he was the mastermind behind the 2020 coup. In October 2020, Koné was appointed Minister of Security and Civil Protection in the transitional government of Moctar Ouane. In May 2021, both Koné and Defense Minister Sadio Camara were exiled from the new cabinet proposed by Ouane. Koné and Camara plotted alongside Goita to overthrow Ndaw, which was carried out that month.

Koné was one of the five main figures in the CNSP after the 2021 coup, alongside Camara, Goita, Malick Diaw, and Ismaël Wagué. In December 2025, an investigation published by Jeune Afrique showed a Malian government purchase of Turkish Bayraktar drones being signed off on by Koné's ANSE, an unusual occurrence as Camara's Defense Ministry was the traditional purchaser of foreign arms.

During the 2026 Mali attacks, Koné and Army Chief of Staff Oumar Diarra were severely injured after being shot in the chest in fighting at Kati amidst an attack by Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) forces. Koné reportedly died of his wounds on 26 April 2026. However, on 28 April, Serge Daniel of RFI reported that Kone was still alive, but his condition was rapidly deteriorating.