VOA标准英语2009年-3 Suspects Detained in Killing of 3 Sa

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Fid Thompson | Dakar 29 December 2009

Authorities in Niger say three suspects were detained shortly after an attack Monday that killed three Saudi tourists and wounded three others. Officials said the attack happened near the western town of Djambala, northwest of the capital, Niamey, and near Niger's border with Mali.

Three Saudi travelers have been killed and another three seriously injured in an attack by unidentified assailants in northern Niger Monday.

The group of eight, including two Malian nationals, was traveling to Mali when they were attacked near the village of Djambala. Tuareg rebel groups and militants¹ associated with al-Qaida are reportedly operating in this area.

In a statement on national radio, Niger's Transport Minister Kassoum Moussa, condemned² the attack and offered its condolences to the Saudi Arabian government.

The wounded travelers were taken to the hospital in the capital, Niamey.

In January, Edwin Dyer and three other Europeans were captured as they drove in a convoy³ through the West African desert from Mali's nomadic⁴ culture festival towards Niger's border. The Algerian group al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb killed Dyer after a second deadline passed on their demands for the release of a Jordanian held in Britain on terrorism charges.

A year ago al-Qaida operatives in Niger took a Canadian diplomat⁵ and two others hostage before releasing them several months later.

The group has since admitted to kidnapping two Italians in Mauritania earlier this month.

No group has claimed responsibility for the Niger attacks.