This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/16/two-austrians-kidnapped-in-northern-burkina-faso

The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Two Austrians kidnapped in northern Burkina Faso Two Austrians kidnapped in northern Burkina Faso
(35 minutes later)
Two Austrian citizens, a doctor and his wife, have been kidnapped in northern Burkina Faso near the border with Mali, the country’s security ministry has confirmed. Two Austrian citizens a doctor and his wife have been kidnapped by extremists in northern Burkina Faso near the border with Mali, the country’s security ministry has confirmed.
The kidnapping occurred overnight in the Baraboulé area of the west African country on Saturday. It was not immediately clear whether the abduction was linked to an attack carried out by al-Qaida fighters against a hotel in the country’s capital late on Friday, which killed at least 22 people from 18 different nationalities. A spokeswoman for the ministry said the jihadis abducted the couple from the town of Baraboule in the Soum province in Burkina Faso’s Sahel region overnight. She did not have immediate information on how long the two had been in the area, where they were doing volunteer work.
It was not immediately clear whether the abduction was linked to an attack carried out by al-Qaida fighters against a hotel in the country’s capital late on Friday, which killed at least 22 people from 18 different nationalities.
Related: Burkina Faso security forces free 120 hostages in al-Qaida hotel attackRelated: Burkina Faso security forces free 120 hostages in al-Qaida hotel attack
Security forces confirmed that three jihadis had also been killed in the assault on the Splendid hotel and nearby Cappuccino cafe in Ouagadougou. A fourth was killed at the Yibi hotel, which was searched by troops as part of a later raid on nearby buildings.Security forces confirmed that three jihadis had also been killed in the assault on the Splendid hotel and nearby Cappuccino cafe in Ouagadougou. A fourth was killed at the Yibi hotel, which was searched by troops as part of a later raid on nearby buildings.
Security forces freed more than 120 hostages, including at least 33 wounded, from the Splendid hotel, after militants took control of the five-storey building popular with UN staff and foreigners. Dozens of French forces arrived overnight from neighbouring Mali to aid in the rescue.Security forces freed more than 120 hostages, including at least 33 wounded, from the Splendid hotel, after militants took control of the five-storey building popular with UN staff and foreigners. Dozens of French forces arrived overnight from neighbouring Mali to aid in the rescue.
More details soon …More details soon …