Four Moroccan truck drivers who were kidnapped in West Africa over the weekend were released in Niger, officials said. The drivers were the latest victims of insecurity in the Sahel, an arid swath of land south of the Sahara where militant groups such as the Islamic State Sahel Province have in recent years exploited local grievances to grow their ranks and expand their presence.

The four Moroccan drivers who went missing between Burkina Faso and Niger last Saturday have been located and are on their way to the Moroccan embassy in Niger, according to information obtained by Hespress.

Three trucks, one carrying a spare driver, disappeared as they drove without an escort from Dori in Burkina Faso to Tera in Niger, an area known for jihadi threats, a diplomatic source says