Four Moroccan truck drivers who were abducted earlier this year in a volatile region of Burkina Faso were freed on Sunday night, thanks to a coordinated effort between Moroccan and Malian intelligence services.
The group had gone missing on January 18 while traveling through northeastern Burkina Faso, near the Niger border—an area long plagued by the presence of armed militant groups. According to Malian authorities, who confirmed the news on Monday, the captives were being held by the Sahel branch of the Islamic State, which operates in the region’s conflict-ridden Sahel province.
Their release followed months of behind-the-scenes collaboration between Mali’s intelligence agency and Morocco’s General Directorate for Studies and Documentation. Officials say both services launched a joint investigation within hours of the abduction and worked in close coordination to track the hostages’ location. Their efforts ultimately led to a successful rescue operation, with all four individuals recovered unharmed.
