Mali's Soumaila Cissé Passes away Due to Coronavirus

Today, the Malian opposition leader, Soumaila Cissé, passed away at the age of 71, because of his infection with Coronavirus.

A spokesman for the opposition leader, Nohoum Togo, said in statements to "Reuters": "I confirm that Sisi died last night in Paris."

French media confirmed that he died due to his infection with the emerging coronavirus.

Cisse' was a former finance minister who lost the presidential elections to Ibrahim Abu Bakr Keita in 2013 and 2018; he was considered one of the favourites to Malians in the elections expected to be held early in 2022 after Keita was ousted last August.

Cisse' was kidnapped by gunmen last March while campaigning for parliamentary elections in the Timbuktu region, in the north of the country.

It is noteworthy that the opposition leader, who applied three times for the presidential elections, was attacked while traveling with a delegation of 12 people from his electoral stronghold.

The operation resulted in the death of his bodyguard, and the injury of two close associates, according to Demba Traore, an official in the Union for the Republic and Democracy party in Bamako.

He was released in October, along with French aid worker Sophie Petrona and two Italian hostages.

During Cisse' detention, a military council overthrew Keita, but, under international pressure, the latter formally relinquished power in September to a transitional government that would run the country for 18 months, yet military officers still have a sweeping influence over the government.