What started as another evening at the Tonka market for Abdoulaye Tandina ended in tragedy when armed men forcibly took him away, executing him shortly after near the roadside. Known affectionately as Badou « Wayé »—or « the butcher » in Songhai—among locals, and as Abba by the children he treated with kindness, his death has left a community in shock.

A longtime resident of Tonka, Tandina had spent at least four decades in the area, where he once led the local butchers’ guild. Though he no longer held that position, his presence was deeply rooted in the town’s daily life. His daughter, who runs a shop in Timbuktu, remains « inconsolable, » according to someone close to the family.

A wave of targeted killings shakes Tonka

Tandina’s death marks the fourth targeted killing in Tonka within just eight months. In late March, a youth association leader fell victim to jihadist gunmen, followed by the assassination of a Quranic teacher in June. Public outrage erupted last November when Mariam Cissé, a young TikTok influencer known for her support of the Malian army, was publicly executed in a shocking display of violence.

Yet Tandina’s case stands out for its apparent lack of motive. « He never displayed his political beliefs, » a family member revealed, struggling to understand why jihadists would target him. One relative disclosed that Tandina was distantly related to the current head of Tombouctou’s special delegation—a position that temporarily fills the void left by the absence of local elections. However, this connection appears insufficient to justify the attack.