Niger: Al-Qaeda releases UN boss, others

  1. Posted on Friday 24 April 2009 - 09:24
    Murtala
    Image of Murtala
    Murtala Mohamed Kamara, AfricaNews reporter in Freetown, Sierra Leone
    The North African branch of Al-Qaeda has on Wednesday released the UN Special Envoy to Niger and three other foreigners in Mali. They were kidnapped in December 2008 in Niger including two female tourists out of a group of four nabbed in January. Malian officials helped to secure their releases.
    Niger map
    The envoy Robert Fowler, a Canadian born and his assistant Louis Gay were snatched on their way to attend a cultural festival close to the Malian border.

    Following the kidnapping Al-Qaeda North African branch issued a statement claiming responsibility. The AFP news agency said the kidnapping “marked the first time al-Qaeda had targeted Niger, a mainly Muslim country that has been plagued by Tuareg uprisings in the north for the past two years.”

    According to the news, the kidnappers had earlier asked to ‘swap’ the hostages for two Mauritanians held captives.

    The Al-Qaeda North African branch has said its main aim is to unify armed Islamist group in Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria. The group has claimed responsibility in the past for major bombing in parts of North Africa.

    Security experts have raised concerns about this group which they say might proof to be a ‘difficult target’ in the fight against terrorism in Africa.

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