A German citizen kidnapped by an armed criminal group in Niger has been taken into the custody of Algerian military security services, ending roughly two weeks of captivity. Ulumaskan Sinan was seized in the Tahoua region of southwestern Niger before being recovered on Friday evening, Algeria's Defense Ministry said.
Sinan, who reported being in good health, was flown on a special military aircraft from the remote southern outpost of Ain Guezzam to the Boufarik air base near Algiers. Algerian authorities said he would be transferred to German officials at a later date.
Niger, which has been under military rule since a July 2023 coup, has seen a rise in kidnappings. An Austrian and a Swiss woman were abducted from the northern desert city of Agadez in 2025.