An al-Qaeda branch in the Sahel region (West Africa) has taken two Russian citizens hostage in Niger. This information was announced by al-Qaeda in a video posted by the group on August 2nd.
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| Hostage kidnappings are a frequent occurrence in the Sahel region of Africa, largely due to economic reasons. (Daily Post) |
A video posted on the Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) media platform shows two hostages saying they were captured while working for a Russian company in southwestern Niger.
They spoke in English with a Russian accent, both claiming to be Russian and saying they had been taken hostage in Mbanga, an area about 60 km west of the capital Niamey. They did not say when they were abducted.
It is unclear when and where the video was filmed. There is no ransom demand in the video.
Over the years, the border region between Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger has been plagued by conflict and hostage-taking incidents.
Local authorities said that the ransom for a hostage in this area could reach 43 million CFA francs (approximately $70,000) in 2022 and increase to 52.4 million CFA francs (approximately $87,000) in 2023.
According to experts, the kidnappings are motivated by economic interests, not hatred or religious conflict.
The alarming rate of kidnappings in Niger and the region is creating fear among farmers and especially foreigners, deterring them from working and affecting travel and the flow of goods. This could have "negative impacts on the entire region's economy," according to a Global Initiative report.
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/hai-cong-dan-nga-bi-al-qaeda-bat-coc-o-niger-281271.html
