A TikTok content creator in Mali has fallen victim to a kidnapping and murder at the hands of an extremist group operating in the region.
Mariam Cissé, who was likely in her twenties, regularly shared insights about her life in Tonka, located in the Timbuktu region, through her social media platforms. She amassed a following of around 100,000 on TikTok.
Mariam’s content often included expressions of support for the Malian army.
Since 2012, Mali has been under the governance of a military junta, facing ongoing conflict with jihadist insurgents.
The nation, being landlocked, relies on neighboring regions for fuel imports. However, jihadist groups have been blocking fuel imports, exacerbating the country’s challenges. This has prompted the African Union (AU) to voice a ‘deep concern’ regarding the escalating crisis.
In some of her videos, Mariam appeared in military attire, with one video captioned ‘vive Mali’, translating to ‘long live Mali’.
In a conversation with the AFP news agency, her brother revealed, “My sister was arrested on Thursday by the jihadists.”
He further mentioned that the group accused Mariam of “informing the Malian army of their movements.”
A source within the security sector confirmed this, stating that Mariam was targeted because she was accused of capturing jihadist activities ‘for the Malian army’.
Following her abduction on Thursday, Mariam was transported to Tonka over the weekend by motorbike.
In Tonka, she was executed in the town’s Independence Square.
Her brother witnessed the tragic event as part of the crowd.
Mariam’s death has sent shockwaves through Mali, highlighting the deteriorating security conditions that have raised alarms at the AU.
AU chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf expressed his concern on Sunday regarding the ‘rapid deterioration of the security situation where terrorist groups have imposed blockades, disrupted access to essential supplies, and severely worsened humanitarian conditions for civilian populations’.
Mr. Yousseff also denounced ‘deliberate attacks against innocent civilians’, noting that these actions have resulted in ‘unacceptable loss of lives and heightened instability’.
The chairperson emphasized that the AU is ready ‘to support Mali, as well as all Sahel countries, during this particularly challenging period’.
Mali has been under the rule of a military junta since 2021, which came to power with promises of enhancing national security.
However, jihadist activities have persisted, including the blockage of fuel imports and attacks on civilians.
Notably, large areas in the eastern and northern parts of Mali remain outside government control.