“All efforts are made to obtain the release of our compatriot,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while Sunday will mark the 500ᵉ day of captivity of the journalist, the only French hostage identified in the world.
Le Monde with AFP
The French government assured, Friday, August 19, remain completely committed to the release of journalist Olivier Dubois, kidnapped in Mali. “The withdrawal of the” Barkhane “operation of Mali does not in any way decrease the mobilization of France to release Mr. Olivier Dubois,” assured the deputy spokesman for foreign affairs, François Delmas, a few days after the departure of last French soldiers in Mali.
“All efforts are made to obtain the release of our compatriot,” he insisted, while Sunday will mark the 500 e day of captivity of Olivier Dubois.
Only French hostage in the world
The independent journalist, who lives and works in Mali since 2015, himself announced his abduction in a video broadcast on social networks on May 5, 2021.
He explained that he had been kidnapped on April 8 in Gao, in northern Mali, by the support group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM), the main jihadist alliance in the Sahel, linked to Al-Qaida. It is the only French hostage identified in the world.
His family launched a call to send a postcard to President Emmanuel Macron as the 500 day is approached to ask him when Olivier Dubois would be released.
The deputy spokesman for foreign affairs assured that the French authorities maintained regular contact with his relatives. He repeated that in matters of kidnappings, “discretion is an essential condition for the effectiveness of the action of the state and the safety of people”.