The Russian Foreign Ministry has officially requested assistance from Nigerien leaders in the release of two hostages, a Russian and a Ukrainian, captured on July 18 in the Tillabéri region.
Russia has reaffirmed its commitment to freeing two geologists kidnapped in Niger, both Russian and Ukrainian citizens. The incident occurred on July 18 in the Tillabéri region, when “terrorists from the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GPIM) attacked a team of geologists carrying out mining operations. “
Four people were kidnapped, while several Nigerien military personnel were killed in the attack.
The hostages identified themselves as Oleg Gret (Russian) and Yuri Yurov (Ukrainian), employees of a mining company in Niger. The Russian Foreign Ministry has officially requested assistance from Niger’s leaders and maintains constant contact with them through its embassy in Bamako, Mali.
Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, assured that cooperation between Russia and the Sahelian states would not be hampered by terrorists.
