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Areva Kidnappings near Arlit, Niger
There's talk of a possible kidnapping of a group including 5 French citizens who were working near Arlit - presumably on the mine.
News - Africa: France probes 'possible' kidnap in Niger |
Confirmed!
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On the latest kidnappings, the BBC news website notes:
Laouali Dan Dahdit said the kidnappers "spoke mostly Arabic and Tamashek", a Berber language used by the desert region's semi-nomadic Tuareg people. Which reminds me, last Saturday morning (11 Sept 2010), Robert Fowler, the Canadian diplomat who was kidnapped by AQIM, was interviewed on BBC Radio 4. There wasn't much new in what he said on Saturday. Most of it was a retelling of the interviews previously available on the internet via Canadian TV. One striking thing, though, was the comment that the most frequently spoken language amongst the AQIM guys (or the language which they had in common - I forget which) was Tamashek. |
Fwiw, the local Tuareg (as opposed to AQIM), have been protesting about getting a slice of Areva's pie in Niger this last year or two. Didnt they briefly kidnap a European engineer or smth a year or so back?
Ch |
Kidnappings near Arlit by local Taureg tend to have a faster and happier ending than AQIM's- so one has to hope.
However, "They were last seen heading towards Inabangaret, an important well and stopping point near the border with Algeria and Mali, he said." BBC News - French nationals among seven workers kidnapped in Niger And we all know what happens west of there.... |
friends of mine in 2 land rovers crossed into algeria on tuesday the 14th sept(a6 hour border crossing inwhich cb radios and binoculars were confiscated) they crossed at Hazoua and are taking 7 days to cross down to In-Guezzam and then on to Agadez via Arlit,so they should be there by this time next week and from Agadez hopefully will be able to get more info on how things are in the area. LES
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http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...h-2010-a-49299 The details come from SA biker, Kobus, who experienced some things on the piste into Niger from Algeria. I'd guess that the security on the Arlit piste is hightened now, following the kidnappings, but some tactics to get round local banditry might be worthwhile. |
Tuareg official protests Niger kidnapping accusation < French news | Expatica France
French mine workers 'kidnapped by al-Qaeda' in North Africa - Telegraph Surprised there isn't better security provided by Areva? The French had a small window of time now gone to attack without worrying about hostages wellbeing. Further: Niger : le convoi des ravisseurs repéré par satellite - Temoust.org | Le portail du peuple touareg berbère Kel Tamasheq Quote:
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Eyewitness report from the kidnap
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I think by now even AQIM will be surprised if it is not AQIM who has done the kidnapping.
Niger and Mali do not seem to have taken the AQIM issue seriously. I doubt that the kidnapping of tourists bothered the governments much. Aid workers and NGOs probably don't raise much concern either. But uranium exports must surely bother Niger. They don't export much else from there. So if Niger is still not very bothered about AQIM after this, then AQIM may as well go and set up camp in Niamey. |
Even if they are looking for ransom money, at this time they may also need the hostages as human shields as they are under attack. And they didn't want to wait until winter. Perhaps Arlit was the place where they would find French hostages to fit the bill. They kidnapped seven people; some speculate this is to avenge the seven AQIM members who were killed in Mali.
Hopefully this fall will be the end of status quo, even if it gets worse before it can get better. |
Video from france24
France24 - Mauritanian troops clash with suspected al Qaeda militants It appears the Areva security guards are not allowed to carry arms, so it wasn't much they could do. Otoh there is a US trained anti-terrorism batallion in Arlit. Like the Nigerian journalist in the footage says, it raises suspicion of an inside job. He was arrested today in Niamey for making those statements. Enlèvements au Niger: polémique Areva/Niamey sur la sécurité du personnel - Dépêches - El Watan Also today Sunday, 100 French anti-terrorism specialists arrived in Niamey. It is the first time in 25 years French military is invited into Niger. French forces land in Niger for hostage hunt-source | News by Country | Reuters Niger government blames Areva Areva blames Niger goverrnment France24 - Areva admits security 'breakdowns' led to workers' kidnapping Since the guards were former tuareg rebels, they were not allowed to be armed by Niger government... |
More details of the French engagement - including deployment of Mirage aircraft fitted with EMR surveillance. The mirage have already flown >20hrs over N Mali.
France ups efforts to find hostages: News24: Africa: News The degree of response this time is an order of magnitude larger. As is the media coverage. |
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French to have requested US intel for finding the hostages. Speculation about the coming use of drones.
ENLÈVEMENTS : Des drones américains pour repérer les otages français ?, actualité Monde : Le Point http://www.lepoint.fr/images/2010/09...-jpg_66350.jpg |
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The seven hostages seen alive, held in Timetrine hills, west of Aguelhoc
Ennahar Online - The hostages are alive, Paris informed France says willing to negotiate (?) AQIM kidnap-for-ransom practice: A worrisome challenge to the war against terrorism financing - International Analyst Network |
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fyi, Timetrine is here.
I recall there was a skirmish or something there with AQIM and Malian army a year or two ago when it was called a village and assumed to be an AQIM base. Until I'd never heard of the place. Quite a few permanent wells, including Timetrine itself, according to the IGN 200k map. Ch PS: I think Hague is trying to tell France something. |
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Al-Jazeera shows images of hostages in Mali
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BBC News - Al-Jazeera shows images of al-Qaeda hostages in Niger
Is that Abou Zeid on the far left - as from those vids a few months ago? Ch |
So it doesn't help to be from countries outside the EU, like Togo or Madagascar. At least not initially.
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At least they are alive (there was at first rumours of one French killed after resisting), they are together and they are sitting in the shade.
"Aqmi n'a aucun intérêt �* tuer les otages" - leJDD.fr That would be Abou Zeid on the left, unmasked. His mother is calling for him to come home. Le chef d'Aqmi supplié par sa mère - leJDD.fr |
More pictures from the video:
http://www.desert-info.ch/download/p...ankreich-1.JPG http://www.desert-info.ch/download/p...ankreich-3.JPG http://www.desert-info.ch/download/p...ankreich-4.JPG http://www.desert-info.ch/download/p...ankreich-6.JPG The video by You Tube: YouTube - ‫يوتيوب المجاهدين مؤسسة الأندلس تنظيم القاعدة في بلاد المغرب الإسلامي صور و تسجيل صوتي للأسرى الفرنسيين بالنيجر You Tube Mujahideen‬ Ulrich P.S.: I'm off for some time, have to fight the tumor in my lungs. |
Profile of Daniel Larribe here, one of the engineers with a similar background to M Germaneau. He was warned a few months ago.
There are other links from that page too. Ch |
Sad to read that. There are also rumours (one of many now) that one of the kidnapped was a high ranking officer of the French SS.
Ps - good luck, Ulrich! |
demands
Al-Qaeda IM have demanded a repeal of France's ban on Muslim face veils, the release of militants and about €7m to free five French hostages, (Al Arabiya TV on Monday)
Qaeda: Veil ban repeal for hostages: News24: World: News Interestingly, there is a 1m price on the guys from Madagascar and Togo respectively. |
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This was on El Khabar but then removed
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Reports that 3 terrorists from Abu Zeids group intercepted near Tamanrasset, destined for North Algeria with funds for Droukdal....apparently had 100,000Euros cash on them.
Ennahar Online - Arrest of a Malian and Mauritanian of Abu Zeid group in Tamanrasset |
Well spotted buy worth clarifying that according to Ennahar they: "were arrested on the road to the town of Tinzaouatine in the province [or wilaya] of Tamanrasset" which is the size of the UK.
Tin Z is 600km from Tam (and it has to be said, the one place the Algies would be watching out for these guys). Ch |
Medicine supplied to sick hostage
Francoise Larribe has receieved a package of medicine.
Negotiations are described as difficult. More details here: Sick French hostage given medicine: News24: Africa: News |
"Reports that 3 terrorists from Abu Zeids group intercepted near Tamanrasset, destined for North Algeria with funds for Droukdal....apparently had 100,000Euros cash on them."
This kind of operation ican be one reason of the restriction of travel for tourist in the area.. RR |
Droukdal saying to negotiate with Bin Laden for the release of the French hostages:
AQIM demands Afghan withdrawal in return for French hostages | News by Country | Reuters |
Statement by YouTube:
The Conditions of the Mujahideen for the release of the French prisoners Regards Ulrich |
Ennahar Online - Toumani convinced that the French hostages were dispersed
Mali rules out rescue mission for French hostages | Top News | Reuters Quote:
France in contact with Mali hostage-takers | RFI |
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Long silence about the Areva kidnappings. At least they are said to be alive
Otages du Niger : « Ils sont vivants », selon la présidente d’Areva en visite à Marcoule - Temoust.org | Le portail du peuple touareg berbère Kel Tamasheq Quote:
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French Woman Has Been Released!
AFP: French, Malagasy, Togolese hostages freed in Niger
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€90m demanded for the last 4 hostages
Nearly forgotten about with all that's going on...
Ennahar Online - AQIM claimed 90 million euros to free hostages in the Sahel Ch |
90 million no doubt reflects the perceived value of uranium - given that the uraniium mine will feel responsible.
It is an order of magnitude escalation over previous ransoms. |
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Hi All,
I can't find anything new about the French remaining in AQIM's hands - are they still alive? It's been a very long time now... Kobus |
I think I'm right in saying that the French from Arlit have been held longer than any other hostage taken by AQIM (or GSPC) in the Sahara. Negotiations are no doubt bogged down with the complicated relationship France has with AQIM (officially at war), the fact that a company is involved and the size of the ransom. AQIM are also probably bolder now that they have the military kit fetched recently from Libya. Some say that AQIM are in a better position to defend their HQs, especially from helicopter attacks. AQIM may also be aware that many hostages in Somalia have been held for 10-12 months too.
Kobus - you must be one of the few westerners in the last year or so to pass through Arlit! |
Ennahar Online - French hostages in Niger: families await "effective initiatives"
"July 5, the French Defence Minister Gerard Longuet stated about four French kidnapped in Niger: "We have no news, either positive or negative." It is impossible for the French to pay any sort of ransom as things are. Otoh, they have met one of the demands - they are removing troops from Afghanistan. |
French hostage families renew calls for release (Magharebia.com)
Ten months now. Dire outlook for the hostages in the current situation. It does give some hope that kidnappings will end when there is no money forthcoming from the French. "In March, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) issued ransom demands, which included 90 million euros and the release of AQIM prisoners held in France. The demands were roundly rejected by the French government. "We cannot negotiate on these bases," French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said. "What AQIM is demanding in return for the release of hostage is much greater than the assistance we're currently giving to the state of Mali in its development, some 53 million euros a year," French lawmaker Francois Loncle said. The stance found support from counter-terrorism experts, who fear that paying terrorists would solidify their position and weaken the recent blow suffered by al-Qaeda at the hands of the Mauritanian army in the Wagadou Forest. "The idea that the international public opinion had of AQIM is that the organisation was not an ideological group but just a group seeking to make a profit through drug trafficking and kidnapping of foreign nationals," political analyst Sidi Mohammed Ould Younis told Magharebia. The French refusal to meet the ransom "will further disfigure the image of AQIM in the eyes of public opinion and aggravate its financial weakness, as it today has a dire need for money", he added. For Salafist ideology expert Said Ould Habib, AQIM's ransom demand was a manifestation of its growing weakness. "AQIM's demand of ransom establishes two assumptions: first, their feeling of danger because of the military strike, and therefore, they seek to have funds to help them stand on their feet again; second, their feeling of strength derived from their possession of advanced Libya weapons," he added. "No ransom should be given to those terrorists," Ould Habib added. "Rather, they should be confronted militarily even if the French have to sacrifice their own hostages for the rescue of thousands of citizens. And when AQIM realises that kidnapping hostages is no longer a source of money, it will give up kidnapping." |
A year has passed, and Daniel Larribe, Thierry Dole, Marc Feret and Pierre Legrand are still being held by AQIM
AFP: Qaeda-held Frenchmen mark year in captivity |
Over 400 days now. The intrigue is baffling (in French)
Otages français Niger : Rivalités entre négociateurs - actu-match - ParisMatch.com Short version in English http://www.ennaharonline.com/en/international/7679.html "A French secret agent worked with Al Qaeda to share ransoms"! |
2 years now - long time....
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Free at last
Today the remaining four hostages from Arlit were liberated after over two years
no details yet Les otages français enlevés au Niger ont été libérés |
Three years, no? But great news. Here's the BBC's version:
BBC News - Four French hostages freed in Niger - President Hollande |
Losing track of the years....three it is. A very long time.
Guessing that Areva paid for their release, letting Hollande say that France never pay ransoms. The remaining hostages are a different matter, but let's hope they will now also regain their freedom. |
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As a reminder, the remaining 5 are the French 'geologist' from Hombori, Nov 2011. The 3 tourists from Timbuktu grabbed a day later (SE, NL, SA/UK) And the Portuguese guy from Diama a year ago. Ch |
Great news about the release. Three long, long years.
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The release of the four French hostages coincides with the lifting of the arrest warrants in Bamako against four touareg rebellion leaders, Ibrahim Ag Mohamed Assaleh, Mohamed Ag Intalla, Ahmada Ag Bibi and Alghabass Ag Intalla.
Justice malienne | Mali : la justice lève les mandats d'arrêt contre quatre responsables de la rébellion touarègue And, not surprisingly, Iyad Ag Ghaly is also looking for impunity - some say that the release came about now not because the money was ready to be paid out, but because Ag Ghaly negotiated the release. Terrorisme | Otages français : Iyad Ag Ghali, le chef d'Ansar Eddine, a-t-il négocié son impunité ? According to Niamey, there wasn't even any French directly involved in the negotiations. French version: A convoy with touareg and French left Kidal Oct 21 without any means of communication (for fear of being tracked) but with a suitcase with cash (€20M+) that they exchanged for the coordinates of the hostages. Convoy returned to Kidal Oct 29, and the hostages were flown to Niamey. Niger version: touareg leader Mohamed Akotey, former minister, now on the Areva board, close to president Issofou, spent several months in negotiations, and then went to Kidal, set up a meeting for the exchange 100 kms north of Kidal. He was then picked up by a helicopter sent from Niamey, they made the exchange and three hours later landed in Niamey. Terrorisme | Libération des otages d'Arlit : en coulisses, les Nigériens contredisent la version française One must wonder about the complicitiy by Kidal touaregs in high positions in the kidnappings of the last few years. All the above mentioned are from the same tribe, Ifoghhas, and they know each other very well. Iyad and Akotey were leaders of the rebellions of the 90's, Iyad in Mali and Akotey in Niger. And the Areva hostages were held by Abdelkrim, the touareg jihadist (now deceased), who just happens to be a cousin of Iyad. Surely a lot of crooks in the Kidal region will now be wading in money. |
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Interview in French with Daniel Larribe on how to survive three years in the desert
L'ex-otage au Niger Daniel Larribe obligé de s'expliquer sur sa barbe |
Long article, in French, offering some explanations why it took three years to negotiate the release of the Areva hostages.
Sahel | Niger : comment Issoufou a organisé la libération des otages enlevés à Arlit |
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