Mali: 3 European hostages, 1 Malian politician freed

A prominent Malian politician and three European hostages were freed by Islamic extremists linked to al-Qaida. The hostages' release came just days after Malian authorities freed nearly 200 jihadist prisoners over the weekend, which had fuelled speculation that a prisoner exchange was imminent.

Bamako (Mali): A prominent Malian politician and three European hostages were en route to the capital after being freed by Islamic extremists linked to al-Qaida, the Malian government confirmed late on Thursday.

While relatives of Soumaila Cisse and French aid worker Sophie Petronin had been notified of their release on Tuesday, news of the release of two Italian hostages came only in a Malian government statement once they were aboard the flight.

The Rev. Pierluigi Maccalli is a Roman Catholic missionary priest from the African Missionary Society (SMA) who was kidnapped in September 2018 from his Bomoanga parish in Niamey, Niger, according to the Avvenire newspaper of the Italian bishops conference.

There has been no information about Nicola Ciacco's kidnapping except for the fact that he was seized in February 2018 in central Mali, according to Menastream, an independent risk and research consultancy firm specializing in the Sahel and North Africa.

The two were believed to be held by same extremists though after a video was released of them together back in April.

Maccalli's religious order, the Genoa, Italy-based African Missionary Society, said it had seen reports of Maccalli's release but had no independent confirmation from the Italian foreign ministry.

A man who answered the phone at the order's headquarters late on Thursday said the order was nevertheless hopeful that Maccalli was returning.

Calls placed to the foreign ministry late on Thursday were not successful.

The flight took off just before 7 pm local time on Thursday from the northern town of Tessalit and was expected to arrive about two and half hours later, presidential spokesman Adam Thiam said.

French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the news as "a great relief."

The hostages' release came just days after Malian authorities freed nearly 200 jihadist prisoners over the weekend, which had fuelled speculation that a prisoner exchange was imminent.

But there was a 48-hour delay between relatives of Cisse and Petronin were first notified and when the former hostages showed up for the flight in Tessalit. Malian authorities indicated their release had taken place Tuesday.

There was no immediate information on whether a ransom was paid. Extremist groups in the Sahel have long funded their organizations through kidnappings.

The al-Qaida-linked group known as JNIM and its associates are also believed to be holding Australian doctor Ken Elliott, Colombian nun Gloria Cecilia Narvez Argoti, South African national Christo Bothma, Swiss national Beatrice Stockly and Romanian citizen Julian Ghergut.

In March, extremists ambushed Cisse's vehicle while he and his entourage were campaigning in northern Mali. The three-time presidential candidate was later re-elected to his parliament seat while in captivity.

The only proof that he was still alive was a handwritten letter delivered in August. Negotiations for his release had appeared to stall after a military coup overthrew democratically-elected President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, who beat Cisse in the 2013 and 2018 elections.

While a transitional civilian government has been chosen, new elections are being organized with a 2022 deadline, providing a possible new political avenue for Cisse.

(AP)