- Country Information
Population
21,359,722 (2023 est.)Ethnicity (%)
Bambara (33.3), Fulani (Peul) (13.3), Sarakole/Soninke/Marka (9.8), Senufo/Manianka (9.6), Malinke (8.8), Dogon (8.7), Sonrai (5.9), Bobo (2.1), Tuareg/Bella (1.7), other Malian (6), from member of Economic Community of West African States (0.4%), other (0.3)
(2018)Religion (%)
Muslim (93.9), Christian (2.8), Animist (0.7), none (2.5) (2018)Leader
Transittional President Assimi Goita (2021)Government type
Semi-presidential republicLegal system
Civil law system based on the French civil law model and influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional CourtSource: CIA World Factbook
- Pray for Mali
Ask the Lord of the harvest to send people to boldly share the gospel with the largely Muslim population. Pray the existing churches will remain faithful, never giving in to the pressure of those who oppose them. Pray that the church will display the light of Christ amid jihadist activity.
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Mali News
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Missionary Executed in Captivity
Beatrice Stockli
Photo: World Watch MonitorIn January 2016, Beatrice Stockli was kidnapped in Timbuktu. The militant group, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), has claimed responsibility, stating that Beatrice had "declared war against Islam in her attempt to Christianize Muslims" (read more). Six months after her arrest, and again a year later, videos were released showing that she was alive.
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Raid of Three Villages Results in Tragic Loss
Photo: Barnabas Fund Suspected Fulani militants killed twenty-seven people in three predominantly Christian villages of Central Mali. The village of Tillé was raided on May 26th, resulting in the deaths of seven, some of them burned alive. Over the next 24 hours, the attackers moved on to the villages of Bankass and Koro, killing another twenty villagers.
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Militants Attack Churches in Northern Regions
In late September and early October, at least three churches in the Mopti region have received "visits" from jihadists. In Dobara, the militants smashed their way into a church from which they removed crosses and furnishings that were later piled up outside and burned. In Bodwal, members of the same extremist group drove worshipping believers out of their church, warning them that if they ever returned to ring the bells or pray, they would be killed.
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Kidnapped Missionaries Appear in Video
On July 1st, a coalition of jihadist groups affiliated with al-Qaeda released a video showing six foreign hostages, including three missionaries, just hours before France president Emmanuel Macron made his most recent visit to Mali, offering help in support of the African nation's anti-terrorist efforts in the Sahel region. The three missionaries who appeared in the video are from Colombia, Australia and Switzerland.
