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Malian Opposition Leader Dies Of COVID-19

  Malian opposition leader Soumaila Cisse has died of coronavirus aged 71, his family and party said Friday, after being held hostage for six months … Continue reading Malian Opposition Leader Dies Of COVID-19


In this file photo taken on September 10, 2017 Mali’s opposition leader Soumaila Cisse attends the closing ceremony of the 3rd congress for the Rally of Republicans (RDR) party or congres ordinaire du Rassemblement des republicains at the Sports Palace in Abidjan. The Malian opponent Soumaila Cissé, who had been held hostage for six months by jihadists in Mali, died on December 25, 2020 of COVID-19 in France, it was learned from his family and his party. ISSOUF SANOGO / AFP
In this file photo taken on September 10, 2017 Mali’s opposition leader Soumaila Cisse attends the closing ceremony of the 3rd congress for the Rally of Republicans (RDR) party or congres ordinaire du Rassemblement des republicains at the Sports Palace in Abidjan.  ISSOUF SANOGO / AFP

 

Malian opposition leader Soumaila Cisse has died of coronavirus aged 71, his family and party said Friday, after being held hostage for six months by jihadists earlier this year.

Cisse “died in France, where he had been taken for Covid-19 care,” a member of his family told AFP.

“I can confirm this terrible news. He’s dead,” a leader of Cisse’s URD party told AFP, saying the politician’s wife had let him know.

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Cisse was snatched by jihadists on March 25 while campaigning in the northeastern Timbuktu region ahead of legislative elections.

He was freed six months later in October alongside Frenchwoman Sophie Petronin and two Italians.

The hostages were exchanged for some 200 prisoners whose release was demanded by jihadist groups.

“I was not subjected to any violence, either physical or verbal,” Cisse said following his release.

A former leader of the opposition in parliament, Cisse was runner-up in three presidential elections.

In 2013 and 2018, he was defeated by Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, who was ousted in an August 18 military coup.

An engineer and IT specialist by training, Cisse studied in Senegal and France, where he worked for major companies including IBM before returning to Mali.

AFP