Armed individuals in Mali have reportedly murdered a TikTok influencer known for her support of the country’s military, officials disclosed on Monday. Mariame Cissé was taken from a market in Echel on Friday and later killed in Tonka’s Independence Square, as stated by Yehia Tandina, the mayor of Timbuktu. The mayor of Tonka, Mamadou Konipo, confirmed the incident but lacked further details.
Tonka, situated about 150 kilometers from Timbuktu along the Niger River, is an area where the extremist group Jama’at Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) is active. Although no organization has claimed responsibility for the attack, Cissé’s posts in military attire to her substantial social media following may have attracted the assailants.
Prior to her abduction, Cissé had received threats of violence, according to Tandina. Local sources, speaking on condition of anonymity due to safety concerns, verified the incident, noting that Cissé was forcibly taken from the market. One source mentioned hearing about the execution from a bystander, while the other learned of it from Cissé’s family.
Reportedly, Cissé aimed to showcase her community and show support for the Malian military through her TikTok content. Mali has been grappling with armed insurgencies since 2012, with the situation intensifying in recent years. The military took control in 2020 to address the unrest, followed by another coup in the subsequent year, leading to heightened insecurity. Various armed groups, including JNIM, operate in remote regions, and the country is currently facing a fuel blockade imposed by JNIM.
