Spanish tourist kidnapped in southern Algeria
The first information suggests that the kidnappers belong to the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (EIGS)
Although very little information about the case has come to light so far, it is known that the tourist's companions immediately reported the kidnapping and that he was allegedly abducted in southern Algeria and then taken to Mali.
This is an event that has been repeated in recent times in this area; just a few days ago, an Austrian citizen was kidnapped in Agadez (Niger).
The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recommended extreme caution when travelling in Algeria, trying to travel in groups and informing the Spanish embassy and consulates general in Oran and Algiers, as well as the Algerian Gendarmerie, of the travel programme in advance.
Although the risk of kidnapping of Western nationals is warned of, the travel recommendations consider the border area with Mali to be a ‘medium risk’ area. It should be recalled that the Sahel region is the main focus of terrorist attacks worldwide.
💥 Estos son los GRUPOS TERRORISTAS que tienen mayor actividad en ÁFRICA.
👇🏽 La mayor concentración de grupos YIHADISTAS se concentra en el SAHEL y CUERNO de ÁFRICA, destacando SOMALIA 🇸🇴.
⚔️ Mali, Burkina Faso, Níger, Chad y Nigeria, los países más golpeados por el terrorismo. pic.twitter.com/2PlPb7zjgE— Néstor Siurana (@nestorsiurana) May 16, 2024
Three jihadist terrorist groups operate in Algeria: al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Jund Al Khilafa fi Ard Al Yazair (The Army of the Caliphate on Algerian territory) and the Islamic State of the Greater Sahara (EIGS).
Such is the situation that, 43% of deaths resulting from terrorist acts in the last year are on Sahelian territory; more than 2,000 people have been killed in more than 258 terrorist attacks in 2023; and 1 in 3 deaths since 2020 are also recorded in this region, according to the latest data published by the Global Terrorism Index. Experts estimate that at least 1,800 civilians have been killed since 2017 in Africa.
