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In April 2021, French journalist Olivier Dubois, a correspondent for Libération and Jeune Afrique, embarked on what he believed would be a groundbreaking interview with a leader of Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaida affiliate in the Sahel region. Instead, upon arriving in Gao, northern Mali, Dubois was abducted by the very extremists he sought to interview, leading to a harrowing 711-day captivity in the Malian desert.

During his imprisonment, Dubois endured grueling conditions: he was often chained to a tree, subsisted on dried goat meat, and faced the constant threat of violence. To maintain his sanity and sense of purpose, he clandestinely documented his experiences on any available scraps of paper, viewing this act as a continuation of his journalistic duties. Reflecting on this period, Dubois stated, "One of the main factors that helped me resist and survive was telling myself that I am a journalist. Let's continue to gather information, let's continue to ask questions and pretend I'm working."

The circumstances surrounding his abduction remain murky. Investigations revealed that Dubois's fixer had connections with French intelligence, possibly using the interview setup to locate the extremist leader. Dubois acknowledged the risks inherent in his assignment but admitted to placing undue trust in his fixer and overlooking potential warning signs. He remarked, "I think it was a betrayal. But the motive for the betrayal is not yet clear. I have not spoken to my fixer since I have been released."

Kidnappings have surged in the Sahel region in recent years, with groups like JNIM responsible for a significant number of abductions. These kidnappings serve both as a means of financing through ransoms and as a tactic to instill fear among local populations.

Dubois's ordeal concluded on March 20, 2023, when he was released in Agadez, Niger. The specifics of his release, including whether a ransom was paid, remain undisclosed. His experience underscores the profound risks journalists face in conflict zones and the complex dynamics of reporting in areas controlled by extremist groups.