Posted by Ursula on the Swiss Forum:

German tourists feared kidnapped in Niger turn up safe
BERLIN (AP) -- Five German tourists feared kidnapped Sunday in
the West African country of Niger following an armed robbery were
safe, the German Foreign Ministry said.
Shots reportedly were fired during the attack in the Air
Mountains. Three members of the group, including the guide, escaped
in their jeep and reported the incident to authorities.
The German Foreign Ministry said the five left behind were safe.
Local security forces were seeking the robbers, a spokeswoman said.
The craggy landscape of the Air Mountains was an important
hideout for Tuareg fighters during their years-long rebellion.
While their uprising ended with a peace accord in 1995 and Niger
has been mostly safe in recent years, there have been occasional
reports of banditry in the region.
The Tuaregs are descendants of Berbers and Arabs and have roamed
the deserts of West and North Africa for centuries.

BERLIN, March 25 (Reuters) - The German Foreign Ministry
said on Sunday that five German tourists adbucted in the west
African country of Niger had been freed by their captors.
The ministry said they had been told by the travel agency
which organised the holiday that all the tourists were released
unharmed, but their jeep was stolen.
A group of seven Germans and their tour guide, also German,
were travelling in three off-road vehicles in the north of the
country when they were attacked by unknown assailants.
The guide and two of the tourists escaped and raised the
alarm but the attackers had held five of the group.

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