Member of Doctors without Borders abducted in northern Mali

Some unidentified armed men have kidnapped a member of Doctors Without Borders (MSF), a non-profit organization in Gao, northern Mali.

“Unidentified armed men entered the MSF base in Gao during the night of December 18. One of our colleagues from the region who was at the base was kidnapped,” the charity organization told Anadolu news agency.

“We are working to ensure a quick resolution of the situation,” it added. A security source in the region also told Anadolu that the Malian MSF member was abducted by unidentified armed men in the district of Sossokoïra, at 2am local time on Monday.

The source which has not been named said measures have been taken for his safe release.

MSF has been operating in Gao since 2012 and is currently providing emergency assistance to locally displaced population.

Mali has been grappling with security since 2012 and abductions of foreigners and locals have been very rampant. The kidnappers usually request ransoms in exchange for the liberation of the abductees.

Hans-Joachim Lohre, A German priest, has been kidnapped since November 20 after celebrating mass in a convent of nuns in capital Bamako. No one claimed responsibility for his disappearance but two people have been reportedly arrested in connection to investigation into the incident.

“Two people have been arrested as part of the investigation. They have just spent their first night in the police station,” a Bamako police officer who asked not be named told, ucanews.com.