Mali’s protest leader backs civilian ‘rare bird’ to lead transition
INFLUENTIAL Mali cleric Imam Mahmoud Dicko urged the military junta on Wednesday to comply with demands from West African leaders to name a civilian president and prime minister by September 15 to ease sanctions imposed after last month's coup. On Saturday the junta began talks with Mali's political parties and civil society groups over a transition to civilian rule. The move was welcomed by the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), but it kept sanctions in place. Dicko, a Salafist preacher who earlier this year electrified protesters during anti-government demonstrations, told the state broadcaster late on Wednesday that…