Former Mali president Toure, democratic icon toppled in coup, dies at 72
TIEMOKO DIALLO FORMER Malian president Amadou Toumani Toure, who won acclaim as a champion of democracy before being toppled by a military coup in 2012, has died at the age of 72, an aide said on Tuesday. Toure's life in many ways symbolised the stop-start nature of democracy in Mali, where his successor, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, was overthrown in another coup this August. Widely known by his initials ATT, Toure led an army coup in 1991 against military ruler Moussa Traore, who had violently suppressed anti-government protests. Toure organised democratic elections the following year and handed over power to a…