The West African nation of Mali has been plunged into mourning after jihadist fighters publicly executed a popular TikTok creator who had amassed 90,000 followers with her videos about daily life in the northern Timbuktu region.
Brutal Abduction and Public Execution
Mariam Cisse, known for her vibrant social media presence and occasional displays of support for the Malian military, was forcibly taken from a local fair by several armed men on Thursday according to her brother, who witnessed the horrific events unfold.
Her abductors accused the content creator of filming jihadist movements and passing information to the Malian army, allegations that would prove fatal. The following day, the militants transported Cisse by motorbike to Independence Square in her hometown of Tonka, where they executed her by gunshot in full public view.
"I was in the crowd," her devastated brother revealed, describing how his sister was shot in the central square that should symbolise freedom but instead became the site of her brutal murder.
Security Crisis Deepens in Mali
A security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the "barbaric" assassination of Cisse in Tonka's public square, while local officials denounced what they termed an "ignoble act." The killing represents another grim milestone in Mali's long-running struggle against Islamist insurgents that began in 2012.
The ruling military junta, which seized power through consecutive coups in 2020 and 2021, has repeatedly promised to contain the jihadist expansion that has plagued the country for over a decade. However, security experts suggest the situation is deteriorating rapidly.
According to Bakary Sambe of the Dakar-based Timbuktu Institute think tank, "the Malian state no longer controls anything" within its territory, instead concentrating forces around the capital Bamako to secure the regime's position.
International Response and Growing Isolation
The security vacuum has been exploited by jihadist groups including JNIM (Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims), which maintains links to Al-Qaeda. In recent weeks, JNIM fighters have imposed a crippling fuel blockade that has forced school closures, prevented harvesting in multiple regions, and severely limited electricity access.
President Assimi Goita's recent appeal for citizens to reduce unnecessary travel while promising to "do everything possible to deliver fuel" was described by former UN human rights expert Alioune Tine as a "terrible admission of failure."
The junta's decision to break ties with former Western military partners including France and instead partner with Russian paramilitaries has failed to produce security improvements. Consequently, public support for the military regime "is beginning to erode" according to analysts, as the administration proves unable to fulfil its primary security promises.
Faced with the rapidly deteriorating security situation, both the United States and United Kingdom announced the withdrawal of non-essential personnel from Mali at the end of October. Several other embassies, including France which issued its alert on Friday, have similarly advised their citizens to leave the country immediately.
