A popular Malian TikTok influencer, Mariam Cissé, has been abducted and publicly executed by armed men in Tonka, a town in the Timbuktu region of northern Mali. According to local authorities, the incident occurred on November 7, 2025, when she was seized at a weekly market in Echel, about 20 kilometres from Tonka while filiming a live video.
Witnesses reported that she was taken away on a motorcycle by armed men believed to be members of the al-Qaeda-affiliated group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). The following day, the same men brought her back to Tonka’s Independence Square, where she was executed in front of residents.
The influencer, in her 20s, was known for posting short videos in support of Mali’s armed forces to her approximately 100,000 TikTok followers. In several videos, she appeared in military fatigues, singing and dancing in praise of the Malian army; a gesture that reportedly drew the attention and ire of extremist groups operating in the region.
Local officials said her public support for the military had drawn threats in the days before her abduction. Authorities in Tonka and Timbuktu have confirmed the killing but said they are still gathering details. Meanwhile, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Cissé’s murder has sparked widespread shock and condemnation across Mali. Social media users, activists, and human rights defenders have described her execution as a brutal violation of freedom of expression and a chilling warning to citizens who express opinions publicly. Sources close to her family emphasised that Cissé was not a political activist. “She was simply a passionate young woman, proud of her region and her country,” said one relative. “Her only crime was to share messages of hope and patriotism.”
Mali has faced sustained attacks from armed groups since 2012, when insurgent movements began operating in the country’s northern and central regions. The killing of Cissé highlights the continued deterioration of security and the growing danger facing content creators, journalists, and civilians who engage in public discourse.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) condemns the murder of Mariam Cissé and urges the Malian transitional authorities to conduct a full, transparent investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice. The MFWA calls on the government to guarantee the safety of all citizens exercising their right to free expression, both offline and online.
