A French woman who traveled to Mali as an aid worker was kidnapped and was held in captivity for four years. On October 8, the Malian President's Office announced that the aid worker had been finally released.
Held in captivity for years
Sophie Petronin was kidnapped by armed Islamist extremists in December 2016 while she was doing charity work in the city of Gao, Mali.
Petronin, who is now 75 years old, ran a charity that focused on helping children suffering from malnutrition in the West African country.
Soumaila Cisse, a Malian politician, was also released after being held captive for seven months, according to the official Twitter account of the country's president's office.
President Emmanuel Macron of France expressed his relief to learn that Petronin was released and is now safe, according to a statement released by the French government.
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The statement said that President Macron is grateful to the Malian authorities for helping in Petronin's release. He assures them of France's will to support Mali in its fight against terrorism.
Lionel Granouillac, Petronin's nephew, told BFM TV on October 6 that his aunt had been released after she was held captive for a total of 1,381 days. On October 8, both the French and Malian government officially confirmed that Petronin and Cisse had been released.
Sebastien Chadaud-Petronin, the son of Sophie Petroni, was in Bamako, Mali's capital, to greet his mother that he hadn't seen for years. He told France 24 on October 6 that he was afraid about what he would find his mother in. Sebastien said that he expects to find her sick, very weak, and can barely stand.
Mali's Islamist extremists
Mali, along with Nigeria, has been battling with terrorism for years. Kidnapping, robbery, and other violent crimes are rampant in the country that the state government has warned those who plan to visit Mali to take extra precautions.
In December 2019, French forces battled the Islamic extremists in central Mali and killed 33 members, according to French President Emmanuel Macron.
President Macron made the announcement late last year when he went on a three-day trip to West Africa, which was then dominated by the growing threats of terrorist groups.
The French President tweeted that he was proud of the soldiers who protect the country and the civilians. He added that two Malian gendarmes were rescued during the dangerous operation.
Mali was previously under the French colonial rule, and as of this year, France has 4,500 military personnel in the west and central Africa. The French forces also led a military operation in 2013 to fight the Islamic extremists who were trying to gain power in northern Mali.
The militants were said to have regrouped, and they pushed further into central Mali when the French forces carried out the operation.
President Marcon met French military personnel that was stationed in Ivory Coast last year. The Ivory Coast shares a long border with Mali and Burkina Faso.
The French forces are now focusing on regional strategies, and they are training members on how to fight against extremism along the International Academy to Fight Terrorism.
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