Maghreb Edition

Sahel: Mali opposition leader Soumaila Cisse goes missingF

Posted On 26 March 2020

Number of times this article was read : 409
Bamako, March 25, 2020 – Leading Malian opposition leader Soumaila Cisse went missing in the war-torn centre of the country on Wednesday afternoon, his party said, with no-one is able to contact him since. In a statement released on Wednesday, Cisse’s Union for the Republic and Democracy (URD) party said the politician and his team had gone missing after campaigning near the town of Niafunke, in central Mali. Cisse is a former minister of finance and has run for president of Mali three times. He and his team were expected at the nearby village of Koumaira later in the afternoon but never turned up, the statement added, also saying that they were  no longer reachable by telephone.
Mali has been struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency that erupted in the north in 2012, and which has claimed thousands of military and civilian lives. Despite the presence of thousands of French and UN troops, the conflict in Mali has engulfed the centre of the country and spread to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger. Al-Qaeda-affiliated jihadists are active in the area of central Mali where Cisse and his team disappeared.
The circumstances of the disappearance remain unclear, however, and AFP was unable to reach Mali’s government for comment.”The party is deeply concerned about the situation and invites the government, the armed and security forces, and (the UN) to deploy all their energies to find them,” the URD statement said.
By AFP
The North Africa Journal's WhatsApp Group
.

Most Recent Stories from the Region

Trump Sends Controversial Envoy to South Africa at a Diplomatic Low Point$

Leo Brent Bozell III has arrived in Pretoria as the new U.S. ambassador to South Africa, stepping into one of the most strained periods in bilateral relations in recent years. His appointment, amid disputes over Israel, Afrikaner rights allegations, and diplomatic expulsions, reflects a politically charged moment that could redefine the trajectory of U.S.–South Africa ties.

Algeria and Niger Relaunch Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline After Diplomatic Freeze$

Algeria and Niger have ended months of strained relations and announced the operational launch of the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, a 4,000-kilometer project linking Nigerian gas fields to European markets through Niger and Algeria. The move signals both a diplomatic reset and a renewed push to position North Africa as a strategic energy corridor.

Morocco Detains Civic Activist Amid Online Speech Concerns$

Moroccan authorities have detained Mohammed Khalif,a Casablanca-based member of the youth movement GenZ212, following a home search and seizure of his computer. Charges have not yet been publicly disclosed. His arrest comes days after another GenZ212 member was prosecuted over alleged online incitement, raising questions about the legal climate surrounding youth activism and digital expression in Morocco.

Written by The North Africa Journal

The North Africa Journal is a leading English-language publication focused on North Africa. The Journal covers primarily the Maghreb region and expands its general coverage to the Sahel, Egypt, and beyond, when events in those regions affect the broader North Africa geography. The Journal does not have any affiliation with any institution and has been independent since its founding in 1996. Our position is to always bring our best analysis of events affecting the region, and remain as neutral as humanly possible. Our coverage is not limited to one single topic, but ranges from economic and political affairs, to security, defense, social and environmental issues. We rely on our full staff analysts and editors to bring you best-in-class analysis. We also work with sister company MEA Risk LLC, to leverage the presence on the ground of a solid network of contributors and experts. Information on MEA Risk can be found at www.MEA-Risk.com.