BAMAKO, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Mali's transitional President Assimi Goita has appointed Division General Elisee Jean Dao as chief of the general staff of the armed forces, according to decrees published Wednesday in the country's official gazette.

In one decree, Dao was appointed chief of the general staff of the armed forces, while in the other, he was exceptionally promoted from brigadier general in the National Guard to the rank of major general.

The decree appointing Dao also repealed a Sept. 1, 2020 decree that had named Oumar Diarra as chief of the general staff of the armed forces.

The move came two days after Goita signed a separate decree assigning himself the functions of minister of defense and veterans affairs, while naming Diarra as minister delegate to the defense minister. ■