Mali's anti-terror police have been widely condemned after armed officers marched on a prison to demand the release of their commander - who was then set free.
The exact circumstances of how Oumar Samake was released are not clear.
Some reports say prison guards stepped aside, while others say the government ordered his release to avoid unrest.
Commander Samake was accused of murder over the deaths of at least 14 anti-government protesters in July 2020.
Mali's interim government condemned the action by "uniformed and armed men" from the Special Anti-Terrorist Forces (Forsat) in a TV statement, AFP news agency reports.
The Malian Association of Human Rights (AMDH) said it was "deeply shocked" and called it a serious attack on the rule of law.
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