Mali: Prominent former MP shot dead during an attack on his car

A former MP in Mali, Abdoul Jalil Mansour Haïdara, has been killed in a violent attack on his car, according to RFI, October 3.

Haïdara was a well-known figure in the country, known for serving under former President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta between 2013 and 2020. He was also a famous religious leader, as well as being a TV promoter in Ségou, not far from the capital Bamako.

The attack occurred as Haïdara, accompanied by four others, was travelling by car to Bamako. However, they encountered a checkpoint set up by terrorists around 15km away from the town of Konobougou. Unaware of the danger, the group approached a stationary vehicle on the road, assuming it was safe to pass. It was at that moment that the ambush took place.

Armed terrorists who guarded the checkpoint immediately aimed and fired upon the group’s vehicle, with the former MP seated in the car’s front passenger seat. He was struck by multiple bullets.

Haïdara sadly succumbed to his injuries shortly thereafter, with the other 4 individuals escaping the incident having only suffered minor injuries.

The shooting is just one of many incidents that personify the profound struggle Malian authorities experience in their fight against extremist groups, particularly in the North of the country.

Social media in Mali has seen an outpouring a heartfelt messages in memory of the former MP, who was a highly respected member of and participant in his community.

In ségou, he has done a great deal of charitable work through a foundation he set up for the town, which has seen him greatly improve and create new social initiatives for its residents.

Alongside alleviating the conditions of poverty for community members, the foundation has also purchased new ambulances and hearses, supported hospitals, financed mosques and constructed several water towers. One of his final charitable acts was to donate school kits to more than 300 orphaned children.

The former MP’s enterprising also extends to his company, Ségou TV, which is the first private regional TV channel in the country.

His family described him as a man of integrity and character, saying he stood for “generosity and solidarity.”

Radio France Internationale (RFI), Maghrebi.org