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The Financial Presidency announced on Thursday the release of Sophie Petronin, the last French hostage held in the world. Petronin’s abduction took place on December 24, 2016 by gunmen in Gao (northern Mali), where he lived and ran a humanitarian organization that helps children. Kidnapped Malian politician Sumaila Cisse has also been released.
The presidency in Mali said Thursday that the French aid worker has been released. Sophie Petronin And the political kidnapped Sumaila Cisse, after her long period in the clutches of the jihadists.
Petronine, the last French hostage detained in the world, was abducted on December 24, 2016 by armed men in Gao (northern Mali), where she lived and ran a humanitarian organization that helps children.
The 75-year-old hostage ran a center to help orphans in Mali.
“Sophie Petronin is free … her release is a source of great relief. For her family and relatives. I send a message of condolence to the financial authorities, thank you. The war on terror in the Sahel continues.”
Sophie Pétronin is free.
Held hostage for almost 4 years in Mali, her release is a great relief. To his family, to his relatives, I send a message of sympathy. Thank you to the Malian authorities. The fight against terrorism in the Sahel continues.
– Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) October 8, 2020
At the time, no group that had kidnapped her before the largest jihadist coalition in the Sahel region linked to Al-Qaeda transmitted a video recording of six foreigners who were kidnapped in Mali and Burkina Faso between 2011 and 2017, including Sophie Petronin .
In her latest video, in mid-June 2018, she looked exhausted and her face haggard, in which she appealed to French President Emmanuel Macron. In another video from November 2018, in which he did not appear, his captors said his health had deteriorated.
The Presidency of the Republic confirms the release of Messrs. Soumaila Cisse and Sophie Petronin. The former hostages head to Bamako.
– Presidency Mali (@PresidenceMali) October 8, 2020
For his part, Sumaila Cisse, a former leader of the parliamentary opposition who finished second three times in the presidential elections, was kidnapped on March 25 while campaigning for legislative elections in his electoral stronghold of Niafunci, in the Timbuktu region (northwest ).
Mali released more than a hundred jihadists who were convicted or suspected during the end of last week in the framework of the negotiations to free Sisi and Batrounin, according to sources familiar with the progress of the negotiations, on Monday.
Releases of this magnitude are very rare in Mali.
In the same context, the president’s office in Mali said in a statement released by state television that two Italian hostages, Nicolas Cicaccio and Pierre Luigi Macalli, were among the four hostages released in northern Mali on Thursday.
France 24 / AFP / Reuters
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