Four Moroccan truck drivers, who were abducted by an armed group in Burkina Faso, have been released after several tense days in the volatile Sahel region. The drivers were initially kidnapped on Saturday morning while travelling along the road between Dori in northeastern Burkina Faso and Téra in western Niger.
The Moroccan embassy in Burkina Faso confirmed their release late Monday evening, adding that the drivers will soon be returning to Morocco. However, the embassy emphasized the need for a comprehensive investigation to determine the details of the kidnapping and identify those responsible.
According to Echarki El Hachmi, Secretary-General of the Moroccan Transport Union, the drivers were freed without major incidents. Unfortunately, their trucks and cargo remain missing. The convoy of several trucks had been intercepted by the armed group in a border area between Burkina Faso and Niger, and the drivers were taken to a remote forest location, where they were separated from their vehicles and goods.
The disappearance of the drivers, who had been on a journey covering over 4,800 kilometers over 20 days, caused great concern among their families and the transport union. Ongoing efforts are focused on recovering the vehicles and investigating the kidnapping incident.