The Malian authorities have announced the arrest of four “criminals” with French nationality who would be behind the kidnapping of several civilians, as part of a special forces operation carried out in Missabougou.
The Malian Ministry of Security has indicated in a statement that the operation has resulted in the release of ten hostages, including six children, and the arrest of four criminals, including two French, one French-Malian and one Franco- senegalese
Thus, it has detailed that all these people, members of the same family, were kidnapped on November 18 by criminals who demanded the payment of a ransom of 900 million Central African francs (about 1.4 million euros) or “information about the location of cocaine recently intercepted by Malian Customs”.
“Investigations are continuing to dismantle this criminal network, as well as its accomplices,” said the Security Minister, Daoud Ali Mohammedine, who has asked the population to “continue with their usual activities and collaborate with all defense forces and security”.
The announcement about the arrests comes amid tensions between the Malian military junta and France, which recently announced the end of the ‘Barkhane’ mission and the suspension of the delivery of development aid to the African country.
