Fantastic news from Mali
 

The cyclist on a tricycle Nicola Chiacchio has been released by the jihadists, flew into Bamako last night and has just arrived in Rome in the last hour

Chris Scott put up a post about him when he went missing in early February 2019 near Douentza but I asked him to remove it as I was in touch with the family, UN & EU security forces trying to find out if he was alive at that point. Thanks Chris!!! The silence of his case may have paid off, many think that these cases should go public but the Italian government wanted it quiet and his family asked for that to be respected!

Absolutely thrilled he's free, apparently he was up near Tessalit when an aircraft was sent to get him (we believe it was a last minute agreement that he boarded Sophie Petronin's aircraft with Padre Luigi)

Thinking of the others still held captive in the Sahel

Fantastic news. I hope he's able to return to normal life and put this behind him.