Armed individuals in Mali have reportedly taken the life of a popular TikTok figure who regularly expressed support for the country’s military forces, as per authorities’ statements on Monday. Mariame Cissé was reportedly kidnapped from a market in Echel last Friday and subsequently met her demise the following day in Tonka’s Independence Square, in front of a gathering, according to Yehia Tandina, Timbuktu’s mayor.
While the mayor of Tonka confirmed the tragic incident, additional details were not immediately available. Tonka, situated approximately 150 kilometers from Timbuktu along the Niger River, is known to be an area where the al-Qaeda affiliate Jama’at Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) operates.
Despite no specific group claiming responsibility for the act, Cissé, who did not serve in the military, occasionally shared images donning military attire with her sizable following of over 140,000 followers, potentially attracting the attention of the perpetrators.
According to reports, Cissé had received threats leading up to her abduction. The incident was corroborated by two local sources speaking to Reuters, though they chose to remain anonymous due to safety concerns. Neither witness directly observed the execution, with one source relaying the information from a bystander and the other from Cissé’s family.
In a TikTok video, Cissé can be seen wearing military clothing with the caption “Vive Mali,” exemplifying her desire to promote her community and show support for the Malian army’s protective endeavors. Mali has been grappling with armed conflicts since 2012, intensifying over the past decade, with two military takeovers occurring in 2020 and 2021 in response to escalating insecurity.
Amidst the turmoil, armed groups, predominantly JNIM, operate across vast rural areas, exacerbating the nation’s challenges. Additionally, Mali is currently facing a fuel blockade imposed by JNIM, further complicating the situation.
