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TikTok Influencer Supporting Mali Military Abducted and Executed
A popular TikTok influencer known for her vocal support of Mali’s military has been abducted and executed by armed men, according to local authorities. Mariame Cissé, who garnered over 140,000 followers on the social media platform, was reportedly taken on Friday while at a weekly market in Echel.
Yehia Tandina, the mayor of Timbuktu, confirmed the tragic details, stating that Cissé was brought back to Independence Square in Tonka on Saturday evening and executed “in front of a crowd.” Mamadou Konipo, the mayor of Tonka in the Timbuktu region, also confirmed the killing, though he did not provide further information.
Tonka, a village situated along the Niger River approximately 93 miles from Timbuktu, is an area where the al-Qaida affiliate Jama’at Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) is known to operate. No group has yet claimed responsibility for Cissé’s death.
Cissé, despite not being a member of the military herself, frequently posted videos and images of herself in military fatigues, a practice believed to have drawn the attention of armed groups. The Timbuktu mayor also revealed that Cissé had received death threats several days prior to her abduction.
Mali has been embroiled in a conflict with various armed groups since 2012, a situation that has intensified over the past decade. The military seized power in 2020, citing the need to address the escalating insecurity.
However, a subsequent coup the following year saw another military officer take control. Monitoring groups indicate that the overall security situation has deteriorated since then.
JNIM, in particular, maintains a significant presence in large rural areas and is currently enforcing a fuel blockade across the landlocked nation.