The woman, identified as Mariam Cissé, had built a significant following on TikTok, where she regularly posted short clips praising Malian soldiers and calling for unity during the country’s ongoing security crisis. She had close to 100,000 followers on the platform.
According to ORTM, armed men seized Cissé in broad daylight at the town market on Thursday. She was later executed in a public square. Details about the exact time of the killing differ, with some local accounts saying it occurred on Friday and the state broadcaster reporting it happened on Saturday.
Two residents of the area, who requested anonymity due to safety fears, confirmed the incident to WAJ. They did not witness the killing but said the information came from eyewitnesses and members of Cissé’s family.
One of the sources said, “Mariam was taken by force in front of everyone. People are terrified.”
The Tonka area is one of several northern zones where clashes persist between the Malian army and fighters affiliated with Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-linked coalition.
No armed group has claimed responsibility for the killing.
State television described Cissé as a young woman who used social media to “uplift her community” and voice support for soldiers deployed to protect civilians and secure communities across the region.
Mali continues to face mounting pressure from militant groups operating in the north and centre of the country. A weeks-long blockade on fuel supplies imposed by jihadist factions has severely affected daily life in Bamako and raised wider concerns about the militants’ growing influence.
Authorities have not issued further details regarding the security situation in Tonka or whether an investigation into Cissé’s killing has been opened.