A US Catholic nun who was abducted by armed men in April in Burkina Faso has been released, according to the local bishop of Kaya, in the country’s north-east. Bishop Theophile Nare issued a statement saying, “Sister Suellen is currently in a safe place and good health.” In the middle of the night, Suellen Tennyson, 83, was kidnapped from a nearby parish and taken hostage, leaving behind her glasses and blood pressure medicine. The kidnappers’ identities are unknown.
However, attacks have been carried out in Burkina Faso by several militant groups. According to Bishop Nare, he is unaware of the events that led to Sister Suellen’s discharge. After the abduction, the FBI published a missing person alert.
The Sahel region is home to several extremist organizations that are affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State and have a history of kidnapping and attacking civilians in Burkina Faso and surrounding nations. Nations in the region continue to engage in several offensive operations against extremist organizations.
