Romanian kidnapped in Burkina Faso, taken to northern Mali, official said. American and French troops support searches

Romanian citizen kidnapped in Burkina Faso last week was taken in northern Mali, a high ranking military official in Burkina Faso said, as quoted by La Voix de l’Amerique website. “The hostage and the kidnappers have crossed Niger River and are in northern Mali; searches are focusing on this region,” the official stated, mentioning that searching operations are facing inconveniences as no criminal group has yet claimed the abduction. The high official is member of the crisis cell set up by the Government in Burkina Faso in this case.

Armed persons kidnapped a Romanian citizen at a manganese mine in Burkina Faso on April 4. The Romanian security agent was abducted by five armed persons who attacked a patrol mission near the manganese mine in Tambao. The mine, located in Oudalan region, near the border with Mali and Niger, is exploited by Pan African Minerals, a branch of Timis Corporation, the company owned by Romanian businessman Frank Timis. A gendarme and a driver have been injured in the attack.

American and French armies in Burkina Faso help the authorities to search for the Romanian, Security Minister announced on Wednesday after a senior military announced on Tuesday that the Romanian was taken in northern Mali, VOA online reports
“Investigations continue with our strategic partners, the French and the Americans, who have in-depth monitoring capabilities and allow us to continue the search in the area and beyond, and to focus on tracks,” said Auguste Denise Barry, quoted by the Voice of America (VOA).
French and American armies have unmanned aircraft based in neighbouring Niger, active in the Sahel airspace, a vast arid area affected by armed conflicts in northern Mali and Libya.
The Security Minister also announced in a press conference that the local authorities are in “constant contact” with the authorities in Mali and Niger, in this search.
Some believe that the kidnappers went first in Mali, after which they passed in Niger, but if you look from the geographically point of view at the abduction time, they were much closer to the border with Niger, said Barry.

In Romania, the task force set in place by the Foreign Ministry (MAE) to deal with the kidnapping of a Romanian national in Burkina Faso will operate continuously, MAE reports in a press release on Wednesday. ‘The task force convened by the Foreign Ministry will operate continuously involving representatives of MAE and other national security organisations. The Romanian diplomatic missions in the region are keeping continuous touch with all the competent local authorities, under the coordination of the task force. The task force is also keeping in touch with the Romanian national’s employer and family,’ reads the release.