In Mali, the five Christians who were kidnapped were released on Monday morning, Wednesday 23 June. Until now, we had no news from Ségué’s parish priest, near Mopti, and the four believers who had taken him to San, the Ségou region, to attend a funeral. They had never reached their destination.
Their abduction was not claimed, but their captors eventually released them, not far from the area from which they had been abducted, in the Mopti region. Less than 72 hours after the abduction, they were released on the side of the road, between Bankass and Bandiagara, near the village of Parou.
Unfortunately, this village is known for the many jihadist attacks that have occurred in recent years. Attacks claimed by Jnim, a support group for Islam and Muslims, linked to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.
Degraded vehicle
The parish priest in Ségué and the four believers who accompanied him are in good health. According to information provided by Mopti to RFI, it is to their poor condition that the five men are guilty of being released quickly. Their vehicles would indeed have broken down, not far from the Burkinabè border.
The kidnappers therefore decide to abandon the vehicle somewhere in the bush and thanks to the mediation of local notables, Dogons and Fulani, they agree to release their five hostages, who have become very difficult. The mayor of Ségué went to Parou to bring the five men back to their village.
They must then be heard by the gendarmes in Bandiagara, to whom the investigation has been entrusted. Undoubtedly, they will be able to answer the many questions that remain about the true identity and motives of their kidnappers.
► Read also: Five Christians were kidnapped in central Mali
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