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>https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/37375/american-kidnapped-in-niger-a-major-hub-for-counter-terrorism-ops-in-northwest-africa
Reuters was first to report Walton's abduction from his home in the village of Massalata, which is situated less than five miles north of the border with Nigeria and just over 200 miles east of the country's capital Niamey, on Oct. 26, 2020. Six gunmen armed with AK-47-type assault rifles are said to have demanded money from the American national, who offered an equivalent to between $35 and $40 in Nigerien francs, and then searched his house, before forcing him to go with them at gunpoint. His wife, daughter, and brother were all there at the time, but were left unharmed. There are conflicting reports about whether the armed men arrived on motorbikes, a common mode of transportation in the region, or on foot.
Walton is reportedly the son of a Christian missionary also living in the country, but it is unclear if he is directly involved in this work. Local authorities said that his father, Bruce Walton, subsequently received a phone call demanding an unknown ransom. The U.S. State Department subsequently confirmed the kidnapping and said "we are providing their family all possible consular assistance" in a statement to various outlets.
Bruce Walton and other local officials say that the gunmen appeared to be members of the Fulani ethnic group, but it's unclear what that assessment is based on. The Fulani are a traditionally nomadic, pastoral group, with significant populations in at least 17 countries, including Niger, in north and west Africa. There are unconfirmed reports that the men who took the younger Walton may have taken him across the border into Nigeria.
No matter what the exact circumstances turn out to be, kidnapping an American in Niger does shine a light on U.S. military operations in the region and this country, specifically. In 2013, then President Barack Obama announced the deployment of U.S. forces to the country to begin flying MQ-9 Reaper drones, on unarmed surveillance missions only, from Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey.