Militants attacked a car with foreigners near the Agadem oil field in the Diffa region. Two gendarmerie officers who were guarding the Chinese were killed in the shootout. Judging by the footage published online, the kidnapped people may also have been injured, the Directorate 4 Telegram channel reports.

Authorities suspect that Islamic State militants were involved in the attack. The group has not yet commented on the incident.

The Chinese citizens worked as engineers at the China National Petroleum Corporation. The company has invested more than $200 million in Niger's infrastructure, the construction of an oil refinery and an oil pipeline connected to a port in neighboring Benin.