Mariam Cisse, who gained nearly 100,000 followers for videos supporting Mali’s armed forces, was abducted and publicly killed in Tonka, a northern town contested by jihadist militants.
A Malian woman known for her patriotic TikTok videos praising the army has been abducted and executed by armed men, state television and local sources confirmed on Saturday.
Mariam Cisse, who had amassed nearly 100,000 followers on TikTok, was taken by unidentified gunmen from a marketplace in the northern town of Tonka on Thursday and later shot dead in a public square, according to state broadcaster ORTM.
The area has been the scene of intense fighting between Mali’s army and al-Qaeda-linked insurgents operating under the banner of Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM).
Two local sources, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, confirmed the killing to Reuters. Neither witnessed the execution directly but said they received information from eyewitnesses and Cisse’s family.
“Mariam was forcibly taken from the market in front of everyone,” said one source.
One source said the killing took place on Friday, while both ORTM and another source placed the incident on Saturday. No group has claimed responsibility, though local officials suspect jihadist fighters loyal to JNIM.
In one of her last posts, Cisse appeared dressed in military fatigues with the caption, “Vive Mali” — “Long live Mali.”
Her videos often featured messages of encouragement to the army as it fought to reclaim control of northern and central regions from Islamist militants.
“This young woman simply wanted to promote her community and support the Malian army in its mission to protect people and their property,” ORTM said in its broadcast report, without identifying the abductors.
The killing comes amid mounting pressure on Mali’s military government, which seized power in a 2021 coup, as insurgents expand their control in several regions.
A two-month-long fuel blockade imposed by al-Qaeda-linked groups has crippled supply chains and paralyzed parts of the capital, Bamako, raising fears that militants could soon attempt to enforce their rule across wider territories.
Cisse’s death has sparked outrage online, with many Malians mourning her as a symbol of patriotism and courage silenced by extremism.
