The opposition leader of Mali Soumaila Cisse has gone missing on Wednesday along with 11 members of his delegation after campaigning in the Jihadist-ridden town of Niafunke.
His party said that he failed to turn for an unexpected meeting, and nobody has been able to get in contact with them since Wednesday.
Cisse went missing in the war-torn area of Mali on Wednesday in the circumstances that remain unclear. The Malian government’s spokesperson Yaya Sangare released a communique describing it as a “kidnap” and gave no further details.
He was expected to reach Koumaira, a village in the northern Timbuktu. The clashes between the militant fighters backed by Al-Qaeda and ISIL fighters launch frequent attacks on civilian areas and military bases.
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Cisse’s kidnapping came as the country is preparing for the election to be held on Sunday despite the global outbreak of coronavirus. Mali confirmed its first cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday making the last African country to confirm a case.
However, the election was scheduled to be held two years back but has been delayed several times because of the serious security situation in the country.
The former finance minister is a leading political figure in the political landscape of Mali. Cisse also contested the 2013 and 2018 election and lost to President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.
Revolt in Mali
Mali has repeatedly suffered causalities by the attacks of militant groups since 2012. A localized uprising erupted in the northern region of Mali and ultimately spread to the country’s center.
Niger and Burkina Faso, which border Mali, have also been affected by the ongoing clashes. The security situation in both countries has worsened since last year. Major international powers and local players fighting for power struggle have the region a fireball.
According to the United Nations, nearly 4,000 people were killed in the three countries last year.
Despite the presence of former colonial power France, the violence has been increasing significantly. France has deployed thousands of soldiers Sahel, beneath the Sahara Desert. The UN also has a presence in the country.
However, the French authorities have accepted that they have continuously failed to curb the violence. The Sahel is an underdeveloped area, and people are mostly poor. The militant groups exploit their religious beliefs for recruiting locals.
Meanwhile, local and international military campaigns have also been accused of various human rights abuses by international HR organizations.
