SOUTH AFRICA: Al Qaeda releases hostage held in Mali after 6 years

A South African tourist who was kidnapped in 2011 by al-Qaeda’s North Africa branch while travelling in Mali has been released and has returned back home, according to South Africa’s government.  Stephen McGowan, who was released on July 25, was one of four foreigners touring Mali on motorbikes who were seized in a restaurant in […]

A South African tourist who was kidnapped in 2011 by al-Qaeda’s North Africa branch while travelling in Mali has been released and has returned back home, according to South Africa’s government. 

Stephen McGowan, who was released on July 25, was one of four foreigners touring Mali on motorbikes who were seized in a restaurant in Timbuktu.

A German was killed in the kidnapping. A Dutch hostage was freed in 2015 in a raid by French special forces and a Swede was released in June this year.

The kidnappers had wanted $5m for the Swede’s release, but the government rejected the demand, Swedish Radio said.