In the Sahel, the release of an American nun last week is the result of negotiations between the Nigerien authorities and the Support Group for Islam and Muslims. Sister Suellen Tennyson, 83, who was abducted in April in north-central Burkina Faso, was detained by the group, present on both sides of the border with Niger. According to several sources, the will to negotiate came from the Nigerien presidency itself.
According to the information from our colleague from France 24 Wassim Nasra specialist in jihadist groups, negotiations for the release of Suellen Tennyson were done in two stages.
Mohamed Bazoum’s presidential cabinet was on the move, with initial contact established in July. An emissary, close to the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (Jnim in its Arabic acronym), meets an emir present in eastern Burkina and opens a line of communication.
A few weeks later, this emissary was arrested by the Nigerien army, which knew nothing of the process in progress and of his involvement. The Emir of Jnim then decides to make a gesture, and frees the American hostage.
According to France 24 sources, there was no financial compensation. The Jnim had demanded the release of 16 fighters, but only one was released: the famous emissary, released on Sunday. The group later withdrew its demand for the release of 15 other prisoners.
Nigerien security sources confirmed to RFI these negotiations with Katiba Macina (which is part of Jnim). The Nigerien services were able recover Suellen Tennyson, in Makalondi, in western Niger, not far from the Burkinabè border. This on August 29, a week before the official announcement of his release.
First success of the outstretched hand policy
The operation would have been developed without support from Western partners, specifies a source close to the file to our correspondent in Niamey Moussa Kaka. The nun was then transported to Niamey, where an American special forces helicopter was waiting for her, informed of the operation.
This release is the first major success of the Nigerien authorities’ policy of negotiation with terrorists, which began several months ago. President Mohamed Bazoum aimed to invite the jihadists to lay down their arms.
France 24 journalist Wassim Nasr, specialist in jihadist issues, discusses the conditions for the release of sister Suellen Tennyson