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Last French hostage Lazarevic freed in Mali | Last French hostage Lazarevic freed in Mali |
(about 17 hours later) | |
The last French hostage to be held by Islamist militants has been freed after three years, French President Francois Hollande has announced. | The last French hostage to be held by Islamist militants has been freed after three years, French President Francois Hollande has announced. |
Serge Lazarevic was snatched in Mali in November 2011 along with fellow Frenchman Philippe Verdon. | Serge Lazarevic was snatched in Mali 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. | |
TV footage showed Mr Lazarevic smiling as he told reporters that he had lost about 20kg (44lb) during his ordeal. | |
"I would like to thank the people of Niger who have collaborated with France to get me freed," he said, adding that he felt "fine". | |
Mr Hollande said there were no more French hostages waiting to be freed anywhere in the world. | |
He said that Mr Lazarevic was in "relatively good health" despite the conditions of his captivity. | |
The former hostage is now in Niger from where he will return to France. | |
AQIM kidnapped a number of Western hostages before the French military deployed its forces against the group in January 2013. | 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 were at one point at least 14 French nationals being held by Islamists in West Africa. |
Mr Hollande also thanked the authorities in Niger and Mali, who had "worked towards this happy outcome". | |
There have been no details about how the release of Mr Lazarevic was secured. Anonymous sources told the Reuters news agency that several Islamist-linked militants held in Mali were freed. | |
The French government has repeatedly denied paying ransoms for hostages. | The French government has repeatedly denied paying ransoms for hostages. |
During his captivity, Mr Lazarevic appeared in several AQIM videos. Mr Verdon was killed last year, with the militants saying it was in retaliation for France's intervention in Mali. | |
There was concern for the 50-year-old father's health in November after he was filmed pleading for his release. | There was concern for the 50-year-old father's health in November after he was filmed pleading for his release. |
He looked frail in the video and was filmed alongside a second hostage, Dutchman Sjaak Rijke. | He looked frail in the video and was filmed alongside a second hostage, Dutchman Sjaak Rijke. |
It is not clear where the two men were held or whether they were held together. | It is not clear where the two men were held or whether they were held together. |
Mr Rijke was kidnapped in November 2011, while visiting the city of Timbuktu as a tourist. There has been no news from him since the video. | Mr Rijke was kidnapped in November 2011, while visiting the city of Timbuktu as a tourist. There has been no news from him since the video. |