The arrest of the country's civilian leaders has worsened political uncertainty just months after a military coup deposed the former president.

Military soldiers imprisoned Mali's temporary president, prime minister, and defence minister on Monday, sparking widespread criticism from key international organizations such as the United Nations, the European Union, and the African Union.

A joint report signed by the United Nations, African Union, ECOWAS, the European Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom requested the lawmakers' for politicians' "instant and absolute liberty."

The imprisonment of the country's civilian leaders has worsened political uncertainty just months after the former president was overthrown by a military coup.

Mali's President Bah Ndaw, Prime Minister Moctar Ouane, and Defense Minister Souleymane Doucoure were all brought to a military facility in Kati, outside the capital city Bamako, Reuters said, quoting diplomatic and government authorities.

The alleged detentions happened only hours after a cabinet reshuffle that removed two top army officers who were involved in last year's coup.

Just after the August coup, Ndaw and Ouane were charged with monitoring an 18-month seamless transition to civilian administration, but they seemed to have rebelled against the military's authority over several important positions.

"The dismissal of the coup's pillars was a huge misstep," a top former Malian government official told Reuters. "The activities are most likely intended to get them back into the work."

Following a previous coup in 2012, militant Islamists took advantage of the turmoil to grab territory in northern Mali.

French forces assisted in regaining territory, but still, the assault continued.