Malian authorities have confirmed the release of two police officers, Abdourahamane Dembélé and Boubacar Dabo, who were abducted last month in the country’s north.
The two officers were taken hostage on August 6, 2025, while on duty along the Timbuktu – Douentza road. Their abduction was claimed by the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an al-Qaeda- linked organization active in the Sahel.
Eleven days later, the group circulated a video showing the men in captivity, appealing for government intervention to secure their freedom.
After over a month in detention, the officers regained their freedom on September 8, 2025. The Malian government confirmed their safe return but did not disclose the conditions under which their release was secured.
On September 9, the two men were received by transitional president General Assimi Goïta in Bamako, where their return was described as a relief for both their families and the wider security forces.
