Mali's opposition leader Soumaïla Cissé "is doing well" more than a week after his abduction, his political party said on Friday (April 3rd). Negotiations are continuing with his captors, who have released all the members of the Soumaïla Cissé delegation, which they also retained.

Soumaïla Cissé, 70, was kidnapped on March 25 with a dozen members of his delegation while traveling in his electoral stronghold of Niafounké, in the region of Timbuktu, in the north of Mali, in campaign for the elections. legislative of March 29.

Soumaïla Cissé's bodyguard was killed and two other members of his entourage injured. The kidnappers are "presumably" jihadists claiming to be Amadou Koufa, leader of a group located in central Mali and linked to Al-Qaeda. They quickly released five prisoners, including the injured.

Hope

Eight other members of the delegation were also released, announced Friday the Union for the Republic and Democracy (URD), the party led by Soumaïla Cissé. After these releases, only Soumaïla Cissé remains detained.

The Malian government "welcomed" the releases, saying it "augurs well for the very soon release" of the opposition leader. He also thanks "all people of good will, political, civil and religious, at work since his abduction" and "incessantly calls on his captors to return (...) Soumaïla Cissé to his country, his family and his gone, safe and sound. "

"I can assure you that no ransom was paid," said URD spokesperson Demba Traore, who said that "negotiations are continuing normally." They are led by the "mayor of Niafounké and a group of notables" from the region.

Soumaïla Cissé, although detained, was elected in the first round of the legislative elections, according to results announced Thursday.

With AFP

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