Mali’s main opposition leader Soumaila Cisse is missing and thought to be kidnapped along with 11 members of his delegation. The Union for the Republic and Democracy (URD) said none of the group had been reachable since late afternoon on Wednesday when they were expected to reach the village of Koumaira in the northern region of Timbuktu. Militants with links to al Qaeda and Islamic State launch frequent attacks on civilian and military targets in the area. The URD referred to the group’s disappearance as a kidnapping, but did not give any more details. The incident came before long-delayed legislative elections, which authorities say will take place on Sunday despite the coronavirus epidemic. Mali was one of the last countries in West Africa to confirm a case, reporting its first two on Wednesday.
SOURCE: REUTERS AFRICA
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