A popular TikTok personality was abducted and publicly executed in front of her family. Mariam Cissé, known for her nearly 100,000 followers on the platform, regularly shared videos depicting life in her hometown of Tonka in the northern Timbuktu region.
Despite her lighthearted and comedic content, Mariam, in her twenties, openly expressed support for the military, often donning their uniform in her posts. Tragically, she was captured by a jihadist group while live-streaming in a nearby town on November 6th.
According to Mariam’s brother, she was accused of assisting the Malian army in tracking the movements of the jihadists. Subsequently, Mariam was transported to Tonka on a motorcycle and fatally shot in Independence Square, with her brother among the onlookers.
An anonymous security source labeled the act as ‘barbaric,’ revealing that Mariam was targeted for allegedly filming the jihadists on behalf of the Malian army. This shocking incident has unsettled the nation, coinciding with a fuel blockade imposed by the terrorist group, causing widespread disruptions, including fuel shortages and closures of educational institutions.
Mali, reliant on overland fuel shipments from neighboring countries due to being landlocked, has been grappling with security challenges despite a military takeover in 2021. The jihadist insurgency persists, leaving vast regions beyond government control, as reported by the BBC.
Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the African Union commission chairperson, expressed grave concern over the deteriorating security conditions, marked by terrorist blockades and humanitarian crises. He strongly denounced the deliberate targeting of civilians, resulting in loss of life and increased instability.
