Kidnapping of foreigners soars in Africa's lawless Sahel region

Hard numbers: Foreign nationals become a growing target in the Sahel, Bulgaria’s ex-president to run again, Israel shuts Gaza border again, Shooting in Texas bar

30: The number of foreign nationals who were kidnapped in Mali and Niger in the first 11 months of 2025, according to data from the independent conflict monitor ACLED, up from seven in the preceding three years combined. The Islamist insurgencies in these West African states have been threatening the broader region, but it could now turn into a more expansive issue with international visitors being seized.7: The number of elections that corrupti…

Kidnapping of foreigners soars in Africa's lawless Sahel region

Growing insecurity in the Sahel made 2025 one of the worst years on record for the abduction of foreigners in Africa.