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| Africa North |
| The three hostages of AQIM released received by French President in Paris |
| 2011-02-27 |
| [Ennahar] three hostages kidnapped in Niger in September 2010 and released this week will be received Saturday by French President Nicolas Sarkozy after more than five months in the Sahel desert in the hands of Al Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). The French Françoise Larribe, the Madagascan Jean-Claude Rakotorilalao and the Togolese Alex Awando were released on the night of Thursday to Friday in an area near the junction of the borders between Algeria, Mali and Niger, operation theater of AQIM. "President of the Republic will receive at 2:30 pm (1:30 pm GMT), the three hostages and their families," said sources close to the Head of State. La Belle France Info radio said at midday that a Falcon plane of the French Republic repatriating from Niamey the French hostage, Françoise Larribe, had landed at Villacoublay military airport near Gay Paree. An ambulance then left the airport, the radio added. Aged about sixty, Mrs. Larribe suffers from cancer. The three people released are part of a group of seven hostages kidnapped by AQIM in northern Niger. Released in NigerNiamey, said Friday the French presidency. No official details were given on conditions of release or the fate of four other hostages, all men and French. According to a source close to the Malian and Nigerian mediation involved in the negotiations, a ransom was paid in exchange for their release. We did not know the amount and who had paid. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 An audience with Nick for the official Presenting of the Receipt? |
| Posted by: SteveS 2011-02-27 21:33 |