Surging Kidnappings Plague Africa's Troubled Sahel Region

The Sahel region of Africa has long been plagued by instability and lawlessness, with terrorist groups and criminal gangs operating freely across the vast, remote landscape. This troubling trend only worsened in 2025, which saw a sharp rise in the kidnapping of foreign nationals in the area, according to a new report.

The Sahel, a semi-arid belt stretching across the northern part of sub-Saharan Africa, has emerged as a global hotspot for abductions in recent years. Factors like poverty, weak governance, and the presence of militant Islamist groups have contributed to the region's growing insecurity and made it a prime target for kidnapping-for-ransom schemes.

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