American Missionary Kidnapped in Niger Amid Rising Sahel Violence

An American missionary has reportedly been kidnapped in Niger, according to local sources and security officials. The abduction is believed to have occurred near the country’s volatile border region, where Islamist militant groups operate. U.S. authorities are working with Niger’s government to locate and secure the victim’s release. The kidnapping underscores growing insecurity across the Sahel, where attacks and abductions have increased sharply in recent months.