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A French development worker, two Italians and Malian opposition leader Cissé are free, some years after they were kidnapped by suspected jihadists. Their families welcomed them in Bamako.
The suspected jihadists released a French woman who had been kidnapped since 2016 and two Italians in Mali. In addition, opposition leader Soumaïla Cissé, who was kidnapped in March, was released, the Malian presidency announced.
The four released have already reached the Malian capital, Bamako. There they were received by family members and government officials. They were taken to a reception at the Presidential Palace in Bamako.
Petronin kidnapped four years ago
Sophie Petronin, a 75-year-old French development worker, was abducted in December 2016. At the time, she was caring for orphans. Upon reaching Bamako, her son tore her away with a big hug and continued shouting: “Mother! Mother!”
French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted that he had spoken to Petronin on the phone and will greet them when they return on Friday. “What a pleasure to hear your voice and know that it is now safe,” he wrote.
Noted 70-year-old Malian politician Cissé was kidnapped in March while campaigning in Timbuktu. He was reelected parliamentarian in absentia. “I spent six months in … very difficult conditions, in almost permanent isolation, but I must admit that I was not subjected to violence, either physically or verbally,” Cissé told Malian state television station ORTM.
Italian Pierluigi Maccalli, a Catholic missionary with the Society of African Missions (SMA), was kidnapped in Niger in 2018.
Italian Nicola Chiacchio was kidnapped in Mali last year. That was reported by Menastream, an independent research and risk consultancy that focuses on the Sahel and North Africa.
A video showing both men was known to be held by the same kidnappers.
Exchange of prisoners possible background
The Malian government released nearly 200 jihadist prisoners over the weekend. As a result, it was speculated that the release of hostages might be imminent. It is unclear whether the ransom was paid.
It is also unclear how many foreign hostages are controlled by the Al-Qaeda-affiliated JNIM group and its allies. At least five are suspected: Australian doctor Ken Elliott, Colombian nun Gloria Cecilia Narvaez Argoti, South African Christo Bothma, Swiss Beatrice Stockly and Romanian Julian Ghergut.
