“The group, through its media organization Az-Zallaqa Foundation, also criticized journalists and the local government's security management in light of the crisis in the region on Monday, regional media reported. The 72-year-old was kidnapped by unknown assailants on Saturday in the desert city of Agadez. According to KURIER information, the assailant is Eva Gretzmacher, who lives in Niger… Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), the "Support Group for Islam and Muslims," is a Mali-based affiliated al-Qaeda group that has expanded its operations to neighboring countries such as Burkina Faso, Niger and Senegal in recent years. As a formal al-Qaeda branch in Africa, JNIM is committed to disempowering regional governments and implementing sharia (Islamic law) in the areas in which it operates, explains the anti-extremism organization Counter Extremism Project (CEP).”