Russia says it is working to free Niger hostages

Russia's Foreign Ministry said Friday it is actively working to secure the release of two geologists who were taken hostage by an Al Qaeda affiliate in western Niger last month, according to Reuters. The captives, employed by a Russian company, were reportedly seized in the Tillaberi region, a hotbed of insurgent activity. A video released earlier in August by Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) showed the hostages, but it did not specify when or where it was filmed, nor did it include a ransom demand.

According to the ministry, one of the hostages is a Russian citizen, and the other is Ukrainian. The ministry said it has requested assistance from Nigerien and Malian authorities to secure their release, adding that cooperation with Sahel states would continue despite the region’s instability. Since a coup last year, Niger's junta has expelled Western forces and strengthened military and economic ties with Russia, mirroring actions taken by the military leaders in Mali and Burkina Faso.