フランス人の自動車旅行者が西アフリカのモーリタニアのGOGUIからマリのDIEMAに向かう途中で7人の武装集団に誘拐される
Secuestrado un ciudadano francés en el oeste de Malí
Nueve europeos permanecen en manos de sus captores en el país del Sahel
José Naranjo Dakar 21 NOV 2012 - 14:50 CET
A French citizen kidnapped in western Mali
Nine Europeans remain in the hands of his captors in the country of the Sahel
Jose Naranjo Dakar 21 NOV 2012 - 14:50 CET
A French citizen of 61 years, Jules Berto Rodriguez Leal, was kidnapped Tuesday in Diéma (western Mali) by seven gunmen while driving his vehicle from Mauritania, sources have confirmed Malian and Mauritanian. Nobody has yet claimed the kidnapping, but all eyes point to terrorist groups operating in the Sahel, as Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and the Movement for Oneness of Jihad in West Africa (Muyao) that control all northern Mali since last April.
The Mauritanian government, through Mauritania Information Agency (AMI), has confirmed the identity of this new hostage. Jules is Berto Rodriguez Leal, born on July 18, 1951 in Laurichal (Portugal), of French nationality, that Mauritanian territory crossed into Mali by Gogui border post on Tuesday 20 November at 11.00 hours on a white car brand Peugeot.
The kidnapping came hours after about 125 kilometers from the border, near Diéma, a city by passing one of the main roads of Mali, the road linking Bamako to Kayes and later with Dakar, the capital Senegalese. Malian police said seven armed men intercepted the vehicle and took him to the French citizen. President François Hollande has already confirmed the kidnapping and asked its citizens not to visit the west of Mali.
Currently, nine Europeans were kidnapped in the Sahel in the hands of AQIM. These six French (four of them abducted on September 16, 2010 in Arlit, Niger, and the other two on November 24, 2011 in Hombori, Mali) and a Swede, a Dutchman and a Briton were kidnapped on November 25, 2011 in Timbuktu. The last Spanish hostages in the Sahel, donors Ainhoa Fernandez de Rincon and Enric Gonyalons, were released by the Muyao on 18 July.
This new kidnapping is particularly worrying as occurs in a place where there had been no such incidents
This new kidnapping is particularly worrying as occurs in an unexpected place. Although Mali has been declared all high risk area of kidnappings, the truth is that Diéma is in the west of the country, only 250 kilometers from Bamako, in a crossroads frequented by truckers and travelers. Across the border in southeastern Mauritania, have also been taken in recent months by special security measures the risk of kidnapping Westerners.
Meanwhile, in the town of Menaka, at the other end of the country have experienced serious clashes between Tuareg rebels Muyao and the National Liberation Movement Azawad (MNLA) during this weekend. Local sources say that there have been dozens of deaths. It all started last Friday when the Tuaregs, who had announced days before the start of an offensive against jihadists attacked a convoy in Ansongo Muyao (50 km from Gao, Muyao fief).
Two days after the fighting moved to the town of Menaka, near the border with Burkina Faso, where the MNLA intended to launch an offensive against Muyao. The jihadists, who had the support of members of AQIM, struck back Tuareg rebels and the fighting, which occurred between Sunday and Monday, ended with another defeat of the MNLA, according to sources on the ground, they say they have killed dozens of people on both sides faced. It is the second time the MNLA Muyao militarily defeat after late June to jihadists succeed in expelling the Tuareg city of Gao.
Moreover, the UN special envoy for the Sahel, the Italian Romano Prodi, has said that the international military intervention adopted by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which has the backing of the Union and several African countries in the European Union (EU), including Spain, against armed groups who control northern Mali will not take place in the coming months. "All the experts [political and military] agree that military intervention could not occur until September 2013," said Prodi, who advocated a negotiated solution to the conflict.
Three armed groups-the Muyao, AQIM and Ansar Dine-control since last April the three northern regions of Mali, Gao, Kidal and Timbuktu, where are imposing a very restrictive view of Islamic law or sharia including stoning for adultery, amputation of hands and feet for theft, and corporal punishment for drinking alcohol or smoking. They have also banned Western music, impose veiling women and destroyed half a dozen mausoleums of saints in Timbuktu.
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