The release on Thursday night of the four hostages in Mali, Soumaïla Cissé, Sophie Pétronin and the two Italians, Nicola Chiacchio and father Pier Luigi Maccalli, came after long and difficult negotiations with a long uncertain outcome. A ransom would have been paid and many jihadists were released by the Malian authorities. A look back at what we know about the negotiations and the compensation required.
with our correspondent in Bamako,
On April 5, a few days after the kidnapping of Soumaïla Cissé, the then Prime Minister Boubou Cissé on paper with the Prime Minister’s head in the lead, it issues a mandate to a Malian businessman to lead the step towards the release of the opponent.
Very quickly there is contact. The kidnappers from the jihadist group Iyad Ag Ghaly accept drugs intended for the Malian politician, prove life and state in writing two conditions for his release. First condition, release of jihadist prisoners detained in Mali and, second condition, payment of a ransom of 2 million euros.
Discussions continue, but in the meantime the bargaining line is withdrawn and the case is left to the special services in Mali, who appoint another mediator … And the then Malian president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, is also asking for the release of French hostages. Sophie Petroniof the same channel. Long negotiations followed when the request for the release of two Italian hostages was added to the list.
Finally, last weekend at least 200 jihadist prisoners or suspected such were released. Among them about twenty “large caliber”. A Malian prison source also recalls that as part of an investigation a few months ago, the “human rights” department of the UN mission in Mali visited them in prison. But at the last minute, a grain of sand appeared that blocked the process. The kidnappers demand further releases. Request accepted … A ransom was allegedly paid and the hostages were finally released.
Counterparties in demand in France
The release of 200 jihahists last weekend could pose a problem, according to Christian Cambon, chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. Especially for the soldiers in Barkhane. Christian Cambon, reached by phone at Pierre Firtion of the African Service for RFI.
“If the junta currently in power organized this exchange in the direction of national reconciliation, it can be understood in the sense that every time an internal conflict ends, which has led to many tragedies, much blood is always there. exchange of prisoners, releases from both sides, which can be understood.
If this were unfortunately not the case, and this is actually where my concern lies, it would mean that among the 100 or 200 – we do not yet know exactly how many prisoners have been released – and in which there are absolutely four or five terrorists who have signed horrific blood crimes – if there is no counterpart to peace and tranquility, and if it is simply the counterpart of these four publications, of course, this poses a problem. And if it was the negotiations, it would have been a particularly dangerous and dangerous agreement for us ”.
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