A TikTok star was tragically kidnapped and killed in front of her family after being accused of filming a local terror group.
Mariam Cissé had close to 100,000 followers on the social media platform and was well known for her videos, many of which were supportive of the Malian military.
She also shared content discussing life in her hometown of Tonka, a town situated in the northern region of Timbuktu, Mali.
The content creator, who was believed to be in her 20s, was in a neighbouring town on a live stream when she was snatched on Thursday, 6 November by a jihadist group that has reportedly been operating in the country since 2012.
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"My sister was arrested on Thursday by the jihadists," her brother told the AFP news agency, while also clarifying why she had been targeted by the group, as they accused her of 'informing the Malian army of their movements'.
However, State TV claim that she simply wanted to support the local community and the country's army with her videos.
Over the weekend, she was then transported back to Tonka by motorbike and fatally shot at the town's Independence Square, all while her brother was in the crowd of people watching on.
A security source said: "Mariam Cisse has been assassinated in a public square in Tonka by jihadists who accused her of having filmed them for the Malian army."
The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, called it a 'barbaric' act.
The jihadists reportedly also believed that she had filmed them on behalf of the Malian army, with turmoil in the country continuing to worsen.
Cissé would regularly don military uniform in her videos, and her brutal murder has left the country in shock as it continues to deal with a fuel blockade introduced by the terror group.
This blockade has led to a significant disruption on daily life and has seen universities and schools closed in recent weeks.
Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the chairperson of the African Union commission, said he was concerned about the 'rapid deterioration of the security situation where terrorist groups have imposed blockades, disrupted access to essential supplies, and severely worsened humanitarian conditions for civilian populations'.
He also condemned the 'deliberate attacks against innocent civilians' that had caused 'unacceptable loss of lives and heightened instability'.
The chairperson added that the AU was ready 'to support Mali, as well as all Sahel countries, during this particularly challenging period'.
Topics: TikTok, Social Media, Terrorism
James Moorhouse