Mali: Abduction of the President of Civil Society in Ménaka

In Mali, the president of civil society in Menaka, a region in the north-east of the country bordering Niger, was abducted on 19 May 2025. Sidi Barka was kidnapped in the middle of the city by unidentified assailants. Several avenues are envisaged: that of the jihadists of the Islamic State in the Sahel or that of local bandits carrying out purely crapulous activities.

The president of the civil society of Ménaka, Sidi Barka, was kidnapped in this city of north-east Mali, bordering Niger. The man, a respected local figure and activist committed to the defence of the internally displaced, was kidnapped by two armed men while he was returning home after the evening prayer. According to testimonies gathered by RFI from relatives and local notables, the abduction occurred between 7.30 p.m. and 8 p.m., not far from…