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.

Four Moroccan truck drivers were kidnapped over the weekend in West Africa and released in Niger. They were transporting electrical equipment on a dangerous route affected by militant activity in the Sahel.