552:
jihadists guarded the entrance while two others ordered two
Frenchmen to follow them. Some customers tried to intervene, but stood down after the jihadists pointed weapons in their face. The jihadists fled the restaurant with the hostages within a minute, and left the city by heading northeast. The remaining fifteen European nationals in the restaurant hid in the bathroom until the jihadists left, and only a Nigerian professor chased the militants although he got lost.
117:
189:
153:
105:
652:. French forces then opened fire and destroyed the pickups, burning two jihadists in their vehicle. The pickup transporting the Nigerien gendarmes was also destroyed and two of them were killed and two further injured in the friendly fire. The remaining jihadists fled, with one executing hostage Antoine de Lecouer three hundred meters from the French forces. Several jihadists escaped but two were killed when fleeing.
180:
137:
94:
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French special forces ordered
Nigerien forces not to continue pursuing the jihadists, although the Nigerien gendarmes who had entered Mali did not receive the message. When the Nigerien gendarmes caught up to the jihadists who were parked, the Nigeriens approached them to ask for information assuming
583:
After an hour of driving, the
Nigerien forces located the jihadists' vehicle which wasn't moving. The jihadists opened fire on the soldiers and seriously injured Captain Alhadi Ibrahim, a former Tuareg rebel, before driving off. The Nigerien National Guard returned to the barracks to save Ibrahim and
663:
An autopsy concluded that
Vincent Delory's body had "extremely severe" burns and five gunshot wounds when he was caught in the crossfire and did not cause his death. The coroner stated that Vincent burned to death, and the cloud of dust from the battle contributed to the poor visibility. Mauritanian
679:
The deaths of Delory and
Lecouer sparked controversy over French hostage-retrieval tactics in the Sahel after it was revealed that Delory had been killed by French fire. French authorities were said to have allowed the strike to dissuade jihadists from taking hostages even if the raid meant risking
588:
they were a group of
Tuaregs. The jihadists opened fire and killed a gendarme and injured four others, including a captain who was shot in the head. The four wounded gendarmes were taken prisoner, and the surviving gendarmes fled. The jihadists then fled into Mali and brought the gendarmes' pickup.
522:
in Niger, and who were subsequently brought into the desert near
Tabankort in Mali. Both hostages were killed during the botched rescue operation, along with three Nigerien soldiers and four kidnappers. The rescue operation's failure sparked controversy in France as it was reported that one of the
647:
The raid began at 11 a.m. near
Tabankort, Mali. Ten parachutists from the C-160 were dropped first, and then the helicopters landed to release the commandos. As soon as they landed, the French helicopters were surprised by the militants as they hid in bushes and shot at the helicopters, damaging
551:
restaurant, frequented by
Western nationals and diplomats. The parking attendants at the Toulousain did not raise alarm as the militants were dressed in military uniforms, with the attendants believing the jihadists were soldiers. At 10:40 p.m., the jihadists burst into the restaurant. Two
567:
As the jihadists left Niamey, their vehicle got a flat tire and the militants took some time to change it before heading back towards the Malian border. Although the
Nigerien-Malian border is only two hours from Niamey, the militants took many long detours and were in
675:
The French paratroopers discovered the Nigerien gendarmes in ragged uniforms and assumed them to be jihadists, so they took them prisoner. Only when French troops returned to Niamey did they realize they were soldiers when their comrades identified them.
672:, kidnappers who had survived told Mouawiya that Delory had been killed when the Land Cruiser caught fire from the French shooting at it, and Lecouer had been killed by Algerian jihadist Faisal al-Jazairi when Lecouer slowed down al-Jazairi's escape.
221:
868:
584:
only the gendarmes continued the pursuit. The jihadists entered Mali on the morning of January 8, and called for a group of reinforcements. A second AQIM vehicle came to their location.
691:
An AQIM statement on January 13 mocked the French and Nigerien failure in retrieving the hostages, and falsely claimed that 25 Nigerien soldiers were killed or injured in the fighting.
559:
and humanitarian worker who was set to marry a Nigerian woman that month, and 25 year-old Vincent Delory, an engineer and friend of Antoine's who was in Niamey to attend the wedding.
228:
938:
992:
893:
967:
580:
set off in search of the jihadists. Seven others left Niamey, including former Tuareg rebels that had joined the National Guard and knew the border area very well.
843:
1017:
660:
Two French hostages, three Nigerien gendarmes, and four jihadists were killed during the raid. Two French soldiers and three Nigerien soldiers were injured.
1067:
1042:
681:
214:
628:
and followed the jihadists using infrared and thermal cameras and although the plane briefly lost sight of them, relocated them around 4 a.m. Three
685:
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at 3am. Meanwhile, Nigerien gendarmes notified all barracks in the area of the kidnapping. Two pickups with around twenty soldiers from the
946:
766:
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613:
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helicopters took off from Ouagadougou; one carrying machine guns and the other two carrying twenty soldiers from the
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503:
28:
637:
485:
422:
437:
514:
On January 8, 2011, French and Nigerien commandos attempted to retrieve two French nationals taken hostage by
577:
452:
340:
239:
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the lives of the hostages. This change in doctrine was confirmed by French investigative journalist
1117:
417:
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375:
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708:
395:
365:
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journalist Mohamed al-Amine Ould Mohamedou Ould M'Balle (Mouawiya for short) interviewed by
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8:
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370:
335:
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260:
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462:
447:
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310:
265:
427:
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On January 7, 2011, a six-man team of AQIM jihadists raided Niamey, the capital of
442:
390:
380:
355:
844:"Mali : Tirs d'hélicoptères français, les véhicules des ravisseurs calcinés"
601:
320:
295:
400:
300:
206:
609:
1106:
536:
479:
405:
385:
665:
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621:
360:
325:
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556:
540:
52:
823:
Le Ben Laden du Sahara, sur les traces du jihadiste Mokhtar Belmokhtar
1068:"Niger : Al-Qaïda revendique le rapt des deux otages français"
605:
16:
2011 raid involving French and Nigerien commandos in Niger and Mali
569:
939:"Mort des otages français au Niger : un terroriste raconte"
539:
to be used for ransom. The comando team including a man sent by
1043:"Grands Reporters - Otages du Niger : le pari de la force"
968:"Un membre d'AQMI raconte la mort des otages français du Niger"
519:
98:
869:"Niger: deux prisonniers et quatre tués chez Aqmi (actualisé)"
641:
532:
109:
993:"Otages au Niger : deux ravisseurs interrogés à Niamey"
515:
121:
56:
1018:"Ousmane : "Il n'y aura aucune base d'Aqmi au Niger""
767:"NIGER. Comment les otages français sont-ils morts ?"
648:
them. One of the pilots was injured by a jihadist with a
555:
The two hostages were 25 year-old Antoine de Léocour, an
688:. COS commander Frederic Beth denied these allegations.
72:
French and Nigerien forces fail to retrieve the hostages
543:. The jihadists reached Niamey that evening aboard a
820:
797:"Antoine et Vincent : une jeunesse foudroyée"
668:stated that after the jihadists returned to their
1104:
236:
612:gave the green light to intervene. Head of the
1066:à 13h02, Par Le 13 janvier 2011 (2011-01-13).
600:for a raid on the jihadists. French president
241:Jihadist insurgency in Niger
222:
562:
1091:: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
229:
215:
716:International Federation for Human Rights
922:
894:"Vincent Delory est bien mort carbonisé"
620:mobilized 200 men for the operation. An
1065:
945:(in French). 2014-09-25. Archived from
596:French forces prepared their troops in
523:hostages was killed by French gunfire.
1105:
634:1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment
761:
759:
757:
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640:. The helicopters were followed by a
210:
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751:
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747:
745:
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737:
735:
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821:Ould Mohamed Salem, Lemine (2014).
709:"Les crimes de masse de Boko Haram"
13:
14:
1144:
911:
833:
784:
730:
504:Islamist insurgency in the Sahel
187:
178:
151:
135:
115:
103:
92:
29:Islamist insurgency in the Sahel
1059:
1035:
1010:
985:
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638:13th Parachute Dragoon Regiment
75:AQIM fails to hold the hostages
931:
886:
861:
814:
701:
433:Tchoma Bangou and Zaroumdareye
1:
694:
535:, with the goal of capturing
526:
655:
7:
925:The Killers of the Republic
604:, who was on a trip to the
10:
1149:
923:Nouzille, Vincent (2015).
614:Special Operations Command
1113:Attacks in Africa in 2011
563:Pursuit of the kidnappers
500:
250:
200:
171:
127:
85:
34:
26:
21:
1128:Battles involving France
475:US military intervention
22:Raid on Tabankort (2011)
1123:Battles involving Niger
1024:(in French). 2011-01-16
999:(in French). 2011-01-11
974:(in French). 2012-01-06
900:(in French). 2011-02-03
803:(in French). 2011-01-13
773:(in French). 2012-01-06
591:
574:National Guard of Niger
684:citing French colonel
608:and Defense Minister
578:Gendarmerie Nationale
172:Casualties and losses
827:La Martinière Groupe
624:plane took off from
144:3 Cougar helicopters
1047:archive.wikiwix.com
927:. pp. 374–379.
873:archive.wikiwix.com
545:Toyota Land Cruiser
193:3 killed, 3 injured
165:5-10 reinforcements
453:Wiye and Deykoukou
943:www.liberation.fr
511:
510:
205:
204:
201:2 hostages killed
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682:Vincent Nouzille
547:and entered the
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486:2023 coup d'état
418:Agadez and Arlit
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51:near Tabankort,
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1118:Battles in 2011
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718:. February 2015
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644:for refueling.
602:Nicolas Sarkozy
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529:
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341:2nd Tongo-Tongo
331:1st Tongo Tongo
296:Bosso and Diffa
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163:6 men initially
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148:1 Atlantique 2
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42:January 8, 2011
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898:parismatch.com
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801:parismatch.com
783:
729:
699:
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686:Jacques Hogard
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650:Dragunov rifle
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1072:leparisien.fr
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1062:
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1038:
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998:
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973:
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949:on 2014-09-24
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771:Le Nouvel Obs
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618:Frederic Beth
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518:militants in
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480:JNIM-ISGS war
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33:
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25:
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1133:2011 in Mali
1076:. Retrieved
1071:
1061:
1050:. Retrieved
1046:
1037:
1026:. Retrieved
1021:
1012:
1001:. Retrieved
996:
987:
976:. Retrieved
971:
962:
951:. Retrieved
947:the original
942:
933:
924:
902:. Retrieved
897:
888:
877:. Retrieved
872:
863:
852:. Retrieved
848:ladepeche.fr
847:
822:
816:
805:. Retrieved
800:
775:. Retrieved
770:
720:. Retrieved
715:
703:
690:
678:
674:
662:
659:
646:
622:Atlantique 2
595:
586:
582:
566:
554:
548:
530:
513:
270:
133:
86:Belligerents
67:
1074:(in French)
997:Le Monde.fr
972:Le Monde.fr
875:(in French)
850:(in French)
610:Alain Juppé
598:Ouagadougou
491:2023 crisis
366:Chinagodrar
306:Bani Bangou
281:Adrar Bouss
68:Indecisive
1107:Categories
1078:2024-07-02
1052:2024-07-02
1028:2024-07-02
1003:2024-07-02
978:2024-07-02
953:2024-07-02
904:2024-07-02
879:2024-07-02
854:2024-07-02
807:2024-07-02
777:2024-07-02
695:References
666:Libération
549:Toulousain
541:Boko Haram
537:Westerners
527:Kidnapping
463:Petel Kole
438:Darey-Daye
371:2nd Ayorou
356:2nd Inates
351:1st Inates
346:Baley Beri
336:1st Ayorou
167:2 vehicles
53:Gao Region
1022:Le Figaro
656:Aftermath
626:N'Djamena
423:Tillabéri
396:Koutougou
391:Intagamey
381:Intoussan
311:2nd Tilwa
271:Tabankort
266:1st Tilwa
184:2 injured
160:2 pickups
1087:cite web
636:and the
606:Antilles
576:and the
458:Adab-Dab
448:Gaigorou
316:Wanzarbé
291:Mangaïzé
261:Tlemsess
196:4 killed
128:Strength
47:Location
27:Part of
722:July 2,
570:Ouallam
412:Attacks
401:Tabatol
301:Tazalit
276:Ouraren
255:Battles
158:~20 men
146:1 C-160
142:200 men
670:katiba
630:Cougar
616:(COS)
520:Niamey
443:Tillia
406:Teguey
386:Torodi
376:Taroun
99:France
64:Result
712:(PDF)
642:C-160
557:expat
533:Niger
469:Other
428:Kouré
361:Sanam
326:Midal
321:Abala
110:Niger
1093:link
724:2024
592:Raid
516:AQIM
122:AQIM
57:Mali
39:Date
1109::
1089:}}
1085:{{
1070:.
1045:.
1020:.
995:.
970:.
941:.
913:^
896:.
871:.
846:.
835:^
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799:.
786:^
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732:^
714:.
55:,
1095:)
1081:.
1055:.
1031:.
1006:.
981:.
956:.
907:.
882:.
857:.
829:.
810:.
780:.
726:.
230:e
223:t
216:v
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.