An extremist group kidnapped two Russians working in Niger
An extremist group called “al Nusra Group” has released a video showing two people identifying themselves as Russians working for a Russian company in Niger.
One of the abductees, named “Yuret”, said that he was born in Russia and lived in Ukraine, and works as a geologist for a Russian company in the Mbanga region of Niger, where he was kidnapped by the group led by Iyad Ag Ghali.
The second abductee, “Grig”, said he had come to Niger a month ago to work for a Russian company in the Mbanga region.
On July 25, Russia advised its nationals not to travel to Mali and Niger due to the security situation in the two countries, which have been suffering from attacks by armed groups for years.
Mbanga is located in the Tillabéry region near Niger’s borders with Burkina Faso and Mali, and has several gold mines.
The new kidnapping comes days after the announcement of the permanent strategic framework for the defense of the Azawad people, the kidnapping of 7 Malian soldiers and members of the Russian Wagner group, and the killing of dozens of others, during 3 days of battles in the Tinzaouatine region near the border with Algeria.
Wagner also announced that a convoy belonging to it and the Malian army was attacked by the group “al Nusra of Islam and Muslims,” adding that it resulted in a number of deaths.
The kidnapping of the Russians in Mbanga, Niger, is the latest kidnapping in the region, as in June 2021, two Chinese were kidnapped there, and released after 9 months.
In February 2024, 3 Italians abducted by the same group, and were released in May 2022.
Russia recently sent military trainers and equipment to Niger, while the Wagner Group is active in Mali to train Malian troops after French troops were expelled from the country.
