Mali: Nigerien humanitarian working for a French NGO kidnapped near Gao

View of the city of Gao (photo illustration).

Souleymane Ag Anara / AFP

Text by: David Baché

1 min

A Nigerien humanitarian was kidnapped in northern Mali during the night of Tuesday 28 to Wednesday 29 December.

Employee of the French NGO First International Emergency, he was kidnapped by armed men in the town of Ansongo, near Gao.

The identity of his captors is still unknown.

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It is around one in the morning when a half-dozen armed men burst into the

of Première urgence internationale, near Gao, in northern 

.

Housing occupied, in the city of Ansongo, by humanitarian workers from this French NGO.

The two guards, unarmed, are " 

 " by the kidnappers who leave quickly, taking an expatriate with them.

Of Nigerien nationality, 39 years old and a doctor by training, he coordinated the activities of the NGO in the area, devoted to food security and health.

Identity of the kidnappers not yet known

This expatriate had been based in

for over a year, he has worked for Première urgence internationale for several years.

Information provided by the deputy director general of the NGO, who indicates that he has no details on the identity of the kidnappers.

" 

" Erwan Legrand explains to RFI.

 "

The Malian police and gendarmerie have been informed and ties have been made with local communities in an attempt to establish contact with the kidnappers. 

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