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- A Swiss woman kidnapped in Mali four years ago was killed by her kidnappers.
- This was announced by the foreign department of the FDFA at night.
- Members of a branch of al-Qaeda are apparently responsible for the crime.
French authorities informed the Department of Foreign Affairs (EDA) on Friday afternoon that a Swiss hostage had been killed in Mali. The woman was apparently killed by kidnappers from the Islamist terror organization Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslim (JNIM) about a month ago, the FDFA wrote in a press release.
Basel Missionary
The victim is a missionary from Basel who was kidnapped four years ago. Valentin Clivaz, a spokesman for the FDFA, confirmed this at the request of the Keystone-SDA agency.
The woman, who had worked as a missionary in Timbuktu for years, was abducted a second time in early 2016. She was abducted by Islamists for the first time in April 2012.
French authorities had been informed of the execution of the Swiss woman by the freed French hostage Sophie Pétronin, the FDFA said.
Big concern at the FDFA
Chancellor Ignazio Cassis reacted to the news on Twitter “with great sadness.” “I condemn this cruel act and express my condolences to the relatives.”
Switzerland will work to preserve the remains of the dead. The FDFA is doing everything in its power to find out more about the circumstances of the crime. The transitional government of Mali will also be contacted for this.
Switzerland has worked with the Malian authorities in recent years to ensure the release of Swiss women. Members of the Federal Council had also campaigned personally and repeatedly for liberation in Mali. Authorities were also in contact with the victim’s family, writes the FDFA.
Other hostages have been released
On Friday afternoon, the release of several hostages, also kidnapped four years ago, was known in Mali. Among them was Sophie Pétronin, 75, who had also been detained by jihadists in Mali for four years and reported on the murder of the Swiss woman.
The French development worker returned to Paris on Friday afternoon with a special machine. It was received by President Emmanuel Macron. The Elysee Palace did not provide any information on the circumstances of the release.
French President Emmanuel Macron and French Chancellor Jean-Yves Le Drian greet 75-year-old humanitarian worker Sophie Pétronin, who has been released.
Keystone
The prominent Malian opposition politician Soumaila Cisse and two kidnapped Italians were also released. The two Italians arrived in Rome on Friday by plane.
