A respected Quranic teacher in Tonka, Abdoul Salam Maïga, was forcibly taken from his traditional discussion circle near the local market by armed jihadists from the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (Jnim). Witnesses report the militants returned shortly thereafter to execute him in public by gunfire.

Locals suggest multiple possible motives behind the killing. Some speculate religious disagreements may have played a role, with one resident stating: ‘He may have refused to cooperate with them.’ However, most accounts point to the teacher’s alleged ties with Malian security forces as the primary reason for his targeted assassination.

This latest violence follows a disturbing pattern in the region. In November, a young social media influencer, Mariam Cissé, was similarly executed in public for her visible support of Mali’s military. Just weeks ago, Amadou Baby, a youth organization leader in Tonka, was gunned down in broad daylight, with militants claiming his group shared intelligence with national forces—despite the absence of any military presence in the area.

A resident of Tonka shared the community’s collective distress: ‘Across Tonka, Diré, Goundam, and Tombouctou, people are horrified by these killings. It has sent shockwaves through the entire region.’