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Mali’s former prime minister, Boubou Cissé, was released along with 10 other people who had been detained by the junta during the August 18 coup in Mali, according to Transitional Vice President Assimi Goita.
In a statement, the transitional government said the former captives, including former president of the national assembly Moussa Timbine and eight generals, “would remain at the disposal of the courts if necessary.”
The regional bloc Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had made his release part of its demands to lift sanctions on the country after the coup.
The sanctions were lifted earlier this week when the transitional government made “notable progress towards constitutional normalization.”
ECOWAS feared that the coup could send shockwaves across the region, destabilize other governments and undermine the ongoing fight against jihadists in the Sahel.
Nothing is known about the last French hostage, leader of Mali
In other news, there is no news about two hostages said to be being held by jihadists in Mali and rumored to be released soon. The transitional government had released several jihadists over the weekend.
Sophie Petronin, 75, dubbed the “world’s last French hostage,” was abducted in Gao on December 24, 2016. The humanitarian worker, who ran her own childhood charity, was suffering from cancer at the time and has other health problems. problems.
Their son, Sebstien Chadaud, flew to Bamako on Tuesday, but has not heard from his mother.
“We still do not know if she is part of these negotiations,” Chadaud said, while the Malian and French governments did not confirm a prisoner exchange.
However, the jihadist watchdog group SITE Intelligence published information on its website this week that a jihadist group considers the prisoner swap to be a “key military strategy.” Supporters of Soumalia Cissé, 70, a former opposition leader and presidential candidate, hoped that he too would be released.
Cissé was abducted on March 25 while campaigning for parliamentary elections in central Mali, where he hails from. Cissé’s kidnapping angered Malians, who added that to their complaints against then-President Ibrahim Boubakar Keita.
Keita was deposed by a military junta in August, which has created a civil-military transitional government, with the head of the junta Assimi Goita as vice president.
Mali has been trying to stamp out an Islamist insurgency since 2012, as parts of the country still remain outside of government control.
Jihadists have kidnapped several foreigners in Mali and at least eight people remain in detention.
