Three hostages were released on the morning of 19 October 2026. The individuals had been held for nearly ten months in Bambouti, located in the Haut-Mbomou region. Their release concludes a period of captivity that began late last year. Local authorities confirmed the safe return of the group following their recovery from the remote area.
Details of the Kidnapping
The four individuals were originally kidnapped on 28 December 2025. This event occurred during an election day as voters participated in the process overseen by the Autorité nationale des élections. The abduction took place while the victims were engaged in their duties related to the electoral proceedings.
Local officials attributed the abduction to the Azandé Ani Kpi Gbé (AAKG) militia. The group held the victims for nearly ten months in the remote area of Bambouti, located in the Haut-Mbomou region, before the hostages were recovered on 19 October 2026. This period of detention involved the hostages being kept in isolated conditions within the territory where the Azandé Ani Kpi Gbé (AAKG) maintains a presence. The recovery operation was conducted in the Haut-Mbomou region, a location characterized by its distance from major administrative centers.
Identities of the Released
Koumba Ndiaye, the sub-prefect of Bambouti, was among the three individuals released on 19 October 2026. Alongside the sub-prefect, the group included two agents employed by the Autorité nationale des élections. These three people remained in captivity for nearly ten months following their abduction on 28 December 2025. The release of Koumba Ndiaye and the two agents of the Autorité nationale des élections (ANE) marks the end of a significant security incident that began on the day of the election.
A fourth individual, a gendarme who was taken at the same time as the others, is no longer part of the group. Reports confirm that this gendarme managed to escape from the militia in August 2026. The gendarme successfully freed himself from the custody of the Azandé Ani Kpi Gbé (AAKG) several weeks prior to the recovery of his colleagues. The remaining three hostages stayed in the custody of the Azandé Ani Kpi Gbé (AAKG) until their recovery in the Haut-Mbomou region.
The recovery on 19 October 2026 involved the coordination of local efforts to secure the release of the sub-prefect and the two agents of the Autorité nationale des élections (ANE). Following the escape of the gendarme in August 2026, the remaining three hostages were held by the Azandé Ani Kpi Gbé (AAKG) for the duration of the subsequent weeks until they were finally located and returned to safety. This conclusion follows the initial abduction of all four individuals on 28 December 2025. The return of these individuals to Bambouti provides closure to the event that began on the election day overseen by the Autorité nationale des élections.