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10 Aug 2023
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Good news. With Iulian Ghergut's release that means all western hostages of many years captivity have been freed and the list is as short as it's ever been.
The only current captives are from 2022: a missionary grabbed in Bamako last November, and an Italian family of Jehovahs from southeastern Mali.
Hopefully it won't be 8 years for them.
https://sahara-overland.com/kidnappings/
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11 Aug 2023
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Scott
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Thank you for keeping that Website updated!
Surfy
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17 Dec 2023
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Gerco van Deventer released
Gerco van Deventer, who was taken hostage in Libya in 2017 and who is believed to have been held in Mali, has just been released after 6 years in captivity. The initial price of freedom was quoted at $3 million but that was negotiated down to $500 000. Release in Mali and then Mauri proved difficult. Reports are that Algeria emerged as the country from which he was released.
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17 Dec 2023
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Good news, though actually it is claimed he was released 'unconditionally' which would be a first for AQIM/JNIM.
I'm also told the German priest Hans-Joachim Lohre who was kidnapped in Bamako last year was released last month:
https://www.foxnews.com/world/german...d-captors-mali
Which means for the first time since it all started in 2003 there are currently no known captives who were kidnapped for ransom in the Sahara.
Last edited by Chris Scott; 17 Dec 2023 at 23:11.
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29 Feb 2024
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and locally...
Anyone know.....
With respect to all of the insecurity how has that impacted cross border traffic? Are trucks still running between say Algeria and Niger? Has public transport ( as much as it is) still continued to run?
This is prompted by sheer curiosity and looking at pics of a friend on board a truck years back going from Agadez to Tamanrasset.
Mike
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29 Feb 2024
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Hi Mike, I imagine cross border freight continues via In Guezzam.
Sadly, these days much of that 'freight' are migrants being sent back to Niger.
No tourist has crossed this route since Arab Spring. Into Tessalit (Mali) even longer.
Long berms along the border either side of IGZ.
Last edited by Chris Scott; 29 Feb 2024 at 06:38.
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