The Australian government said Friday that a doctor who had been held captive in West Africa for more than seven years by militants with ties to al-Qaida had been freed.
According to Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Kenneth Elliott, 88, has been reunited with his wife Jocelyn and their children and is safe and healthy.
In Djibo, close to Burkina Faso’s border with Mali, where they had run a 120-bed clinic for more than 40 years, the pair was apprehended in January 2016.
After three weeks, Jocelyn Elliott was allowed to go. As a result of public outcry and directives from commanders not to employ women in combat, Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb later claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of the pair and that it would unconditionally free the woman.
“After spending many years away from home and at the age of 88, Dr. Elliott now needs space and privacy to recover and regain vigor. His family issued a statement saying, “We appreciate your compassion and understanding.
Reuters
