Ahmed bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum is a member of the ruling Al Maktoum dynasty and was living in Mali before his abduction, where he owned a farm.
The kidnapping took place on September 22 in the Sanankoroba area, located about 30 kilometers south of the country's capital, Bamako. The jihadist group "Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin" (JNIM), linked to "Al-Qaeda," claimed responsibility for the capture.
In recent weeks, local leader Arabi Ould Jeddin, as well as representatives of the Azawad people, Mohammed al-Mahri and Sayed Ahmed az-Zumeili, participated in the negotiations.
Since the beginning of September, JNIM has declared a fuel blockade, attacking fuel trucks on routes from Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire, which has provoked a fuel shortage in Bamako, a sharp rise in prices, and power outages. Due to the deteriorating security situation, the embassies of the United States, Italy, and Germany have urged their citizens to leave Mali.
According to Reuters, there has been a sharp increase in kidnappings carried out by armed groups in Mali in recent years. Experts note that large ransom payments contribute to the spread of this practice in the Sahel region countries, including Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
