Foreign Kidnappings Surge in Africa's Sahel as Chinese Workers Bear the Brunt

Marin Petrović had waited years for this moment. The Bosnian adventurer had repeatedly been denied tourist visas to Mali on security grounds, but in September 2024, his application was finally approved. Within days, he was wandering through Bamako's bustling markets, sampling local beer and soaking up the sights of West Africa.

But his dream trip to see Mali's ancient mud mosque in Mopti never materialized. Instead, six bearded militants on motorcycles, each armed with Kalashnikovs, dragged him into the wilderness. "I was kidnapped by al-Qaeda jihadists!!!" he later wrote on Instagram, his exclamation marks unable to capture the terror of 55 nights sleeping on hard ground, drinking pond water, and listening to hyenas prowl nearby.

Petrović's ordeal reflects a disturbing trend that exploded across Africa's Sahel region in 2025.

A 300% Spike in Foreign Abductions

According to Acled, an independent conflict monitor, there were 30 separate kidnapping events affecting foreigners in Mali and Niger by November's end—a considerable increase from previous years. But the most striking pattern isn't just the numbers; it's who's being targeted.

BBC Monitoring's analysis reveals that of 89 foreigners kidnapped across the continent, 38 held Chinese passports—nearly 70% of all cases tracked in the Sahel. The next most common nationality, Indians, numbered just 14.

The kidnappers aren't choosing victims at random. They're following the money.

China's Golden Target

The answer lies in Mali's gold-rich southwestern regions of Kayes, Sikasso, and Koulikoro, where Chinese companies have dramatically expanded operations amid soaring gold prices. As Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative reaches deeper into Africa, Chinese workers have become the most visible foreign presence in these remote mining areas.

"The Chinese are heavily involved in cooperation with the Malian state. They run mining sites, industry, construction," explains Héni Nsaibia, Acled's West Africa senior analyst. For Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), al-Qaeda's regional affiliate, Chinese workers represent a perfect storm: high-value targets whose capture both generates substantial ransoms and undermines the military government's key economic partnerships.

The strategy appears coldly calculated. While JNIM has been deliberately avoiding Western hostages—Petrović was released after 50 days without ransom—Chinese nationals face no such protection. Beijing's historically hands-off diplomatic approach to hostage situations has inadvertently made its citizens more attractive targets.

Economic Warfare by Other Means

The kidnapping surge isn't just about money, though ransoms may account for up to 40% of JNIM's annual revenue, according to the Institute for Economics and Peace. It's economic warfare designed to strangle Mali's military government, which seized power in 2020.

Since September, JNIM has been attacking fuel tankers heading to Bamako, effectively choking the capital of essential imports. Foreign kidnappings serve a similar purpose: making it too costly and dangerous for international companies to operate in Mali.

The tactic is showing results. After six Chinese workers were reportedly kidnapped in November, the Chinese embassy issued an unprecedented warning against "illegal" gold mining operations and advised Chinese citizens to evacuate personnel—a rare public acknowledgment of the deteriorating security situation.

When Ransoms Reach $50 Million

Some cases have generated staggering payouts. Two UAE nationals kidnapped in September—one reportedly a member of the Emirati royal family—were released after just over a month in exchange for $50 million, according to Reuters. The headline practically wrote itself: "Royal ransoms, a top money-maker for Mali's jihadist kidnappers."

But not every story has a happy ending. Eva Gretzmacher, a 73-year-old Austrian humanitarian worker, has been held for over a year. Her son Christoph fears for her survival in desert temperatures reaching 122°F (50°C). "This poses a life-threatening risk even for people with many years of experience in the region," he told Austrian media, desperately trying to keep his mother's case in the public eye.

The Selective Targeting Strategy

JNIM's approach reveals a sophisticated understanding of international relations. By avoiding American and European hostages while targeting Chinese nationals, the group appears to be courting Western sympathy while pressuring Beijing's African partnerships.

"They avoid it to build credibility among international stakeholders," Nsaibia notes. This represents a marked shift from previous years when al-Qaeda-linked militants regularly targeted Westerners, including British gas-plant workers in Algeria.

The strategy exploits a key vulnerability: China's reluctance to apply diplomatic pressure in kidnapping cases. Unlike Western governments that typically engage in intense behind-the-scenes negotiations, Beijing has historically maintained a more passive stance—a policy that may now be backfiring as its citizens become preferred targets.