A Voice of America regular contributor, Malick Maiga, was attacked and kidnapped while on the air for a local radio station, Radio Adar Koima, in Gao, Mali.
VOA Director David Ensor’s report and condemnation of the attack can be found here. Ensor notes that Maiga survived the encounter and is in a hospital recovering.
The area is unstable and has been abandoned by the Malian government. Maiga has been critical of local factions, notably Islamists and has been attacked several times.
The Committee to Protect Journalists attributes the attack to Islamists. It says in its report that a local “police chief,” part of the gang that attacked Maiga, also ordered Radio Adar Koima off of the air.
