The ousted President of Mali, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, has died aged 76, family and former colleagues say.
Two years ago he suffered a minor stroke but the cause of his death on Sunday was not immediately clear.
He died at 09:00 GMT at his home in the capital Bamako, a member of his family told AFP news agency.
Mr Keïta led Mali for seven years until 2020, when he was ousted in a coup after huge anti-government protests over his handling of jihadist unrest.
An economic crisis and disputed elections also fuelled the demonstrations against his rule.
Mr Keïta was involved in politics for more than three decades, serving as a socialist prime minister from 1994 to 2000.
'Generous, irascible, divisive'
Born to a civil servant father in the southern city of Koutiala, he went on to study literature, history and international relations in Paris. He lived and worked in France for decades, including teaching at the University of Paris, before returning to Mali in 1980, at first working as an adviser to the European Development Fund.
He is remembered variously as a generous, irascible and divisive figure by his entourage, AFP says.
Mali has been in the grip of a security and political crisis since the outbreak of independence and jihadist insurgencies in 2012, the BBC's Lalla Sy says.
President Keïta went on to be elected in 2013 on a promise to "bring peace and security", winning by a landslide. Yet his government failed to put an end to Mali's grave security challenges, and he was ousted by the military in August 2020.
Weeks later, he suffered a minor stroke and was flown to the United Arab Emirates for medical treatment.
According to Francophone African news site, Jeune Afrique Mr Keïta kept a low profile thereafter, living in Bamako with his wife Aminata who made frequent trips to Ivory Coast to visit their sons living there.
Mali's new military rulers staged a second coup in May of last year, announcing a further three-year delay to elections that were meant to happen this February.
This last action made them the target of sanctions this week by the EU as well as its neighbours in the West African regional bloc Ecowas.
Latest Stories
-
Reason for training professional counsellors is to heal a hurting world – CCP president
1 hour -
Woman allegedly brings dead man to bank to take out a loan
1 hour -
It’s a good feeling to score against PSG because I’m a Marseille boy – Andre Ayew
2 hours -
Joe Lartey Sr: A voice that brought life to Ghana sports and beyond
2 hours -
Bawumia promises to tackle issue most dear to Ghanaians as he begins nationwide campaign
3 hours -
Indian couple donate $24m fortune to charity to adopt monkhood
4 hours -
Australians call for tougher laws on violence against women after killings
4 hours -
African Development Council establishes mission in Benin for Francophone countries
4 hours -
Okyeame Kwame reveals his secret to longevity in music industry
5 hours -
Youthful-looking 60-year-old woman qualifies for Miss Argentina contest
5 hours -
Ejisu By-Election: Campaign heats up as NPP holds final rally ahead of Polls on Tuesday
5 hours -
Rwanda plan: Irish government wants to send asylum seekers back to UK
5 hours -
Ice cubes now cost more than bread and milk in parts of Mali
7 hours -
Titanic gold pocket watch sells for £900,000
8 hours -
Elon Musk in China to discuss enabling full self driving – reports
8 hours