2010-04-23
BAMAKO (Reuters) - Mali has put its security forces on high alert after a French tourist and his Algerian driver were seized in neighbouring Niger.

A Nigerien military officer said he believed the hostages have already been moved to Mali, where an official warned of the challenges of tracking kidnappers in the vast West African desert region.

The kidnapping late on Wednesday occurred just days after Mali, Niger, Algeria and Mauritania set up a joint command post aimed at improving regional collaboration to counter a growing threat from al Qaeda in their shared Sahara zone.

"As soon as there is a kidnapping, everyone looks towards Mali, especially the north, which everyone says is the rear base for al Qaeda," a military source close to Mali's defence minister told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"That is why ... we have alerted our security forces on the border with Niger, in case, as usual, they try and cross the border to seek refuge in Niger. But the borders are very long and the kidnappers know the terrain, which is huge."

The pair were seized near Tiguidan Tessoun, which is in Niger's remote north and equidistant from the border with Mali and Algeria, according to Nigerien and diplomatic sources.

A Nigerien military officer, who asked not to be named, said that Niamey believed the kidnappers had already crossed the border despite Mali's efforts to cut them off.

"We think they are somewhere in the Azaouagh strip," he said, referring to a valley in Mali's remote north.

The French Foreign Ministry said on Friday it was trying to verify the incident. No group has claimed responsibility.

An increase in kidnappings of foreigners in the desert region, where a combination of bandits, former rebels and smugglers have long operated has pointed to a growing influence of groups linked to al Qaeda.

Analysts say the kidnappings are often carried out by local gunmen, who then pass hostages on to members al Qaeda's North Africa wing, which is known as AQIM.

Six Europeans were kidnapped in the region late last year. Since then, four of the hostages have been released, while two Spaniards are still being held. Last May, AQIM killed a British hostage seized in a previous round of kidnappings.

The reported payment of ransoms for hostages and the release of arrested Islamist fighters has strained relations between the regional states at a time when Western governments are seeking greater regional cooperation to curb al Qaeda activities.

Mali, in particular, has been picked out by Algeria and Mauritania for failing to crack down on Islamists who have taken advantage of vast ungoverned zones and a long tradition of smuggling to operate out of its northern area.