Al Qaeda frees man held for 3 years

A Frenchman held for more than three years by al Qaeda’s North African branch was freed yesterday, days after two of the men implicated in his abduction were released.

Wed, 10 Dec, 2014 - 00:00

Sylvie Corbet Paris

Serge Lazarevic is in “relatively good health” despite the conditions of his captivity, French president François Hollande said in announcing his release.

“We no longer have any hostages in any country of the world, and we should not have any,” Hollande added.

A security official in Mali, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he feared for his safety, said Lazarevic’s release came after negotiations to free two al Qaeda fighters arrested in their abduction.

The Frenchman kidnapped in Mali in 2011 with Lazarevic, Philippe Verdon, was found dead in July 2013.

Hollande said Lazarevicwas en route to Niamey, the capital of Niger, and thanked the Niger president for helping in the release.

The two al Qaeda detainees were transferred to mediators in Niger on Saturday, and then turned over to al Qaeda. It was not clear if they had remained in Niger.

A French official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the issue is sensitive, confirmed Lazarevic was released but declined to offer details on the release of the al Qaeda prisoners, beyond saying the negotiations were led by Mali and Niger.

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb took numerous Western hostages until France intervened in Mali in January 2013 to rout extremists. Hostage-taking has proved to be a lucrative business in Mali and other Sahel countries. Hollande’s government insists it pays no ransoms, although he has acknowledged that prisoner exchanges have been made on behalf of French hostages.

American officials have accused France, among other European countries, of paying ransoms.

At one point, at least 14 French nationals were held hostage by Islamic militants in West Africa.

Lazarevic and Verdon were kidnapped from their hotel in Hombori in northeastern Mali in November 2011. Their families have said they were in the region doing a feasibility study for a cement factory.