88-year-old Australian doctor freed 7 years after kidnapping by Islamic extremists in West Africa

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — An 88-year-old Australian doctor held captive by Islamic extremists in West Africa for more than seven years has been freed and has returned to Australia. Ken Elliott was safe and well and was reunited with his wife and their children on Thursday night,...

UN: Africa's Sahel desperately needs help to fight violent extremism and stop its spread

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Africa’s Sahel region has become a hot spot for violent extremism, but the joint force set up in 2014 to combat groups linked to the Islamic State, al-Qaida and others has failed to stop their inroads, and a senior U.N. official warned Tuesday that without greater...

UN human rights report says at least 500 believed to have died in Mali village massacre last year

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Malian forces backed by foreign military personnel are believed to have killed at least 500 people over several days in a village last year, the U.N. said Friday, significantly raising the death toll from what already has been called the worst single atrocity in Mali’s...

Killings reported in Benin's north

COTONOU, Benin (AP) — An attack by unidentified armed persons in the north of the small West African nation of Benin has killed "about 15 people," according to the government's spokesperson. Spokesperson Wilfried Houngbedji told AP by telephone Thursday that the attack on a farm in...

Cattle raiding by jihadis soars in Mali, fuels conflict

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Ayouba Ag Nadroun was at the market in central Mali in March when Islamic extremists attacked his village, killing dozens of people and stealing about $10,000 worth of his cows and camels. “We lost everything,” the 62-year-old told The Associated Press by...

Gunmen kill 5 soldiers in Niger convoy ambush

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — Gunmen killed five soldiers and wounded others during a weekend ambush of a military convoy performing escort duties in northern Niger, the army said Tuesday. No one has claimed responsibility for Sunday's attack, which occurred in the Agadez region on the...

US aid worker and French journalist freed in West Africa

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — An American aid worker and a French journalist kidnapped and held by Islamist extremists were freed and flown to Niger's capital Monday, four days after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the country. U.S. officials said no ransom was paid for aid...

US officials: American aid worker kidnapped in Niger in 2016 has been released from custody

US Secretary of State Blinken visits Niger on Africa tour

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced $150 million in direct assistance to Africa's Sahel region Thursday as he visited Niger, seeking to strengthen ties with a country that has so far avoided the recent spate of military coups and Russian mercenaries destabilizing...

Blinken to visit Ethiopia, Niger as US boosts Africa push

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Ethiopia and Niger next week as the Biden administration accelerates a push to engage with Africa to counter China’s growing influence on the continent, the State Department said Friday. Blinken will visit Addis...