Mali arrests four senior employees of Canadian mining company as it presses firms for more taxes

Authorities in Mali have arrested four senior employees of a Canadian mining company as the military regime in the West African nation continues to detain workers to pressure companies in its crucial mining sector to pay millions in additional taxes. Barrick Gold in a statement Tuesday confirmed that the employees had been charged after their arrests Monday evening. The company said it rejects the charges but did not say what they were. Malian authorities refused to comment on the arrests. Mali is one of Africa’s leading gold producers. The regime is pressuring foreign mining companies as it seeks to shore up revenues.