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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| French hostage Lazarevic freed in Mali after three years | French hostage Lazarevic freed in Mali after three years |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A French hostage seized in Mali more than three years ago, Serge Lazarevic, has been released, French President Francois Hollande announced. | A French hostage seized in Mali more than three years ago, Serge Lazarevic, has been released, French President Francois Hollande announced. |
| Mr Lazarevic was snatched in November 2011 along with fellow Frenchman Philippe Verdon. | Mr Lazarevic was snatched in November 2011 along with fellow Frenchman Philippe Verdon. |
| Militants from the Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) group killed Mr Verdon last year in retaliation for France's intervention in Mali. | |
| Mr Hollande said there were no more French hostages waiting to be freed. | Mr Hollande said there were no more French hostages waiting to be freed. |
| The president added that Mr Lazarevic was in "relatively good health" despite the conditions of his captivity. | |
| AQIM kidnapped a number of Western hostages before the French military deployed its forces against the group in January 2013. | |
| There were at one point at least 14 French nationals being held by Islamists in West Africa. | |
| "There are no more French hostages in any country in the world," Mr Hollande said. |