West African leaders kicked off a virtual summit on Mali’s deepening political crisis on Monday, officials said, after two efforts at mediation this month ended inconclusively.

Heads of countries in the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States, of which Mali is a member, are to discuss ways to defuse tensions between the opposition and President Ibrahim Keita.

Anti-Keita protests on July 10 spiralled into clashes, leaving 11 dead, in the worst bout of political unrest Mali has seen in years.

Details later…