Mariam Cissé, a young TikTok influencer with over 100,000 followers, has been seized and killed execution-style by suspected jihadists in northern Mali, authorities report. The 20-something creator, known for posting videos about life in her hometown of Tonka and expressing support for the Malian army, was targeted while live-streaming from a local market.
Her brutal death has shocked Mali, a country grappling with a jihadist insurgency that has persisted since 2012. State media emphasized that Ms. Cissé’s content was meant to promote her community and support the army, not to provoke violence. Her brother told AFP that jihadists accused her of “informing the Malian army of their movements” before moving her to Tonka and executing her at Independence Square.
Some of Mariam’s TikTok videos featured her in military uniform, with posts celebrating Mali and its armed forces. Security sources confirmed that she was killed for allegedly filming jihadists to aid the military.
Her death coincides with a worsening humanitarian and security crisis in Mali. Jihadist groups have imposed a fuel blockade on the capital, Bamako, halting schools, universities, and daily commerce. The African Union has expressed “deep concern” over the blockade, condemning deliberate attacks on civilians and offering support to Mali and other Sahel countries during this period of instability.
The ongoing fuel shortages have left the landlocked nation struggling to receive supplies from neighboring countries such as Senegal and Ivory Coast. Despite the military seizing power in 2021 with promises to restore security, jihadist activity continues to control large parts of northern and eastern Mali, leaving communities like Tonka vulnerable to violence.
Mariam Cissé’s killing highlights the growing dangers faced by civilians, activists, and content creators in conflict zones, as the country faces a mounting humanitarian and security crisis that threatens the safety and livelihoods of ordinary Malians.
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