A Swiss missionary has been kidnapped by armed men for the second time in Timbuktu, northern Mali. In 2012 she was held for more than a week before being released with the help of mediators from Burkina Faso. A military source in Timbuktu reported that four vehicles were involved in the kidnap, according to a report by Reuters.
Northern Mali has been a hotspot for armed extremist groups, with al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) remaining active in many regions despite a military intervention by France in 2013. Around 12,000 UN peacekeeping troops are deployed to the area, however this has not stopped attempted abductions of foreigners in the region.
Two foreign hostages, a South African and a Swede, remain in captivity after being kidnapped in 2011 by AQIM.
In April 2012, Beatrice Stockly was kidnapped by armed members of the extremist group Ansar Dine from a house in Timbuktu. After being released, she returned to her work as a missionary. Last week, she was confirmed by local sources as having been abducted from the same house, according to Reuters.
An unidentified military source said that, “One vehicle parked in front of the house and armed men got out and abducted the woman, while the other three cars secured the area from a distance.”
Timbuktu remains a dangerous city, with recent incidents including the killing of three people outside a Christian radio station in December.
