Algeria Alert: Spanish tourist reportedly abducted to Mali from southern Algeria on January 15; avoid travel to border areas

Jan 2025

14:05 UTC

Current Situation:

According to reports, a male Spanish tourist in his 60s was kidnapped by armed men close to Tamanrasset’s Assekrem in southern Algeria on January 15.
The kidnappers reportedly released the tourist’s Algerian escorts before they crossed into Malian territory with the tourist.
Reports indicate that the kidnappers may be affiliated with the Islamic State of the Greater Sahara (ISGS).
An unconfirmed report indicates that the kidnapped individual was traveling with a group near Tamanrasset, located approximately 450 km from the Algerian-Mali border at Tin Zaoutine.
The report further stated that the Interior Department of the Spanish Embassy in Algiers was in contact with the Algerian authorities regarding the incident.
As of writing, Algerian authorities have not released any statements regarding the incident.

Source: RFI

Assessments & Forecast:

While rare, incidents of high-level violence against westerners have been recorded in southern Algeria previously, which includes the killing of a Swiss national in Southeast Algeria’s Djanet by an unidentified assailant in October 2024. Algerian authorities are likely delaying confirmation of the incident to avoid causing panic and safeguarding the country’s tourism prospects. However, the lack of a definitive denial lends credibility to the likelihood of the incident having occurred.
ISGS is an operationally independent subgroup of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), active across Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. While the group is not regarded as active in Algeria, it is reported to maintain a limited operational presence in the country. Furthermore, the latest incident mirrors the group’s known modus operandi of kidnapping targets in cross-border operations, as seen in its 2021 claim of kidnapping and executing five Christian civilians in the Mali-Niger border region. If the group’s involvement is confirmed, it would reveal a wider operational reach in southern Algeria, either directly or through affiliate networks. The group likely leveraged southern Algeria’s mountainous terrain and the limited monitoring capabilities of Algerian authorities to facilitate the abduction. The incident would also underscore the group’s high-risk appetite for pursuing high-value targets for ransom, political objectives, or to bolster its reputation as a credible threat.
If confirmed, the ability of ISGS militants to transport the kidnapped tourist over a significant distance without interception highlights gaps in Algeria’s intelligence and operational capabilities along its porous southern borders. The incident underscores the threat to foreign nationals in southern Algeria from armed groups operating across borders, despite ongoing countermilitancy efforts.
FORECAST: The latest kidnapping will likely lead Algeria to intensify its counterterrorism and intelligence operations in the country’s southern regions, with a focus on reinforcing security along border areas with Mali and Niger. Nevertheless, the recurrence of similar incidents cannot be ruled out.

Recommendations:

Those operating or residing in Algeria on January 17 are advised to avoid nonessential travel to the south of the country at the current juncture due to the reported incident.
Avoid all travel to the vicinity of Algeria’s border regions with Tunisia, Mali, Niger, and Libya due to the heightened threat of militant and criminal activity as a result of a spillover of violence from these countries.
Travel to Algiers may continue while adhering to security precautions. Contact us at Operations@max-security.com or +44 20-3540-0434 for itinerary and contingency support options.

Medium

southern Algeria

High

Credible

Current Situation:

According to reports, a male Spanish tourist in his 60s was kidnapped by armed men close to Tamanrasset’s Assekrem in southern Algeria on January 15.
The kidnappers reportedly released the tourist’s Algerian escorts before they crossed into Malian territory with the tourist.
Reports indicate that the kidnappers may be affiliated with the Islamic State of the Greater Sahara (ISGS).
An unconfirmed report indicates that the kidnapped individual was traveling with a group near Tamanrasset, located approximately 450 km from the Algerian-Mali border at Tin Zaoutine.
The report further stated that the Interior Department of the Spanish Embassy in Algiers was in contact with the Algerian authorities regarding the incident.
As of writing, Algerian authorities have not released any statements regarding the incident.

Source: RFI

Assessments & Forecast:

While rare, incidents of high-level violence against westerners have been recorded in southern Algeria previously, which includes the killing of a Swiss national in Southeast Algeria’s Djanet by an unidentified assailant in October 2024. Algerian authorities are likely delaying confirmation of the incident to avoid causing panic and safeguarding the country’s tourism prospects. However, the lack of a definitive denial lends credibility to the likelihood of the incident having occurred.
ISGS is an operationally independent subgroup of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), active across Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. While the group is not regarded as active in Algeria, it is reported to maintain a limited operational presence in the country. Furthermore, the latest incident mirrors the group’s known modus operandi of kidnapping targets in cross-border operations, as seen in its 2021 claim of kidnapping and executing five Christian civilians in the Mali-Niger border region. If the group’s involvement is confirmed, it would reveal a wider operational reach in southern Algeria, either directly or through affiliate networks. The group likely leveraged southern Algeria’s mountainous terrain and the limited monitoring capabilities of Algerian authorities to facilitate the abduction. The incident would also underscore the group’s high-risk appetite for pursuing high-value targets for ransom, political objectives, or to bolster its reputation as a credible threat.
If confirmed, the ability of ISGS militants to transport the kidnapped tourist over a significant distance without interception highlights gaps in Algeria’s intelligence and operational capabilities along its porous southern borders. The incident underscores the threat to foreign nationals in southern Algeria from armed groups operating across borders, despite ongoing countermilitancy efforts.
FORECAST: The latest kidnapping will likely lead Algeria to intensify its counterterrorism and intelligence operations in the country’s southern regions, with a focus on reinforcing security along border areas with Mali and Niger. Nevertheless, the recurrence of similar incidents cannot be ruled out.

Recommendations:

Those operating or residing in Algeria on January 17 are advised to avoid nonessential travel to the south of the country at the current juncture due to the reported incident.
Avoid all travel to the vicinity of Algeria’s border regions with Tunisia, Mali, Niger, and Libya due to the heightened threat of militant and criminal activity as a result of a spillover of violence from these countries.
Travel to Algiers may continue while adhering to security precautions. Contact us at Operations@max-security.com or +44 20-3540-0434 for itinerary and contingency support options.

Medium

southern Algeria

High

Credible