Rebels kidnap 15 soldiers in Mali

BAMAKO – Tuareg rebels have kidnapped 15 soldiers from a town in eastern Mali, Tedjerete, and fled in the direction of Niger, say Malian security officials.

According to the army, the troops snatched on Sunday were among those posted in the northern part of Mali’s border area to protect agro-science technicians working to prevent a locust infestation in the sub-Saharan region. A senior army officer said: “Fifteen of our forces have been kidnapped and taken hostage by armed men in Tedjerete.With their abductors they took the direction of the Niger border.”Several security sources said Tuareg rebel Ibrahim Ag Bahanga, who came from Mali, but found refuge among Tuareg militants in Niger, was behind the kidnapping.Fighting had happened in northern Niger this year between the army and Tuareg rebels demanding better representation of Tuaregs, a nomadic Berber people who lived in several north African and Sahel nations, in the armed forces and the uranium mining sector.About 12 gunmen were involved in the attack in Mali, initially grabbing 23 soldiers before releasing eight as they made their escape.Ex-Tuareg rebels in Mali had signed peace agreements with the government in talks mediated by northern neighbour, Algeria, but some, including Bahanga’s father-in-law Hama Ag Sidahmed, had formed a Niger-Mali Tuareg rebel alliance.Nampa-AFPA senior army officer said: “Fifteen of our forces have been kidnapped and taken hostage by armed men in Tedjerete.With their abductors they took the direction of the Niger border.”Several security sources said Tuareg rebel Ibrahim Ag Bahanga, who came from Mali, but found refuge among Tuareg militants in Niger, was behind the kidnapping.Fighting had happened in northern Niger this year between the army and Tuareg rebels demanding better representation of Tuaregs, a nomadic Berber people who lived in several north African and Sahel nations, in the armed forces and the uranium mining sector.About 12 gunmen were involved in the attack in Mali, initially grabbing 23 soldiers before releasing eight as they made their escape.Ex-Tuareg rebels in Mali had signed peace agreements with the government in talks mediated by northern neighbour, Algeria, but some, including Bahanga’s father-in-law Hama Ag Sidahmed, had formed a Niger-Mali Tuareg rebel alliance.Nampa-AFP