The announcement of his release is imminent.
After four years of captivity in Mali, Sophie Pétronin should be released in the coming hours.
His son, Sébastien Chadaud, who took a flight via Paris to Bamako, the Malian capital, spoke to the microphone of France 24.
"I came because I'm afraid she won't make it to Paris. I get as close as possible to her. I expect to find someone sick, very weak. I hope she will. 'she can still see, I don't think she is standing up. I'm not deluding myself too much but Edith, who was held up with her, told me that she had an interior that was still working very, very well . No matter what state she is in, I know she is still lucid. I am delighted to find her ".
Sophie Pétronin, originally from Bordeaux (south-west of France) was kidnapped on December 24, 2016 by armed men in Gao (north of Mali), where she lived and headed for years a children's aid organization .
She appeared in videos released in 2017 and 2018 by the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM), an alliance of jihadist groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda.
The last where we see her other than in photos, published in mid-June 2018, shows her very tired, her face emaciated, calling on French President Emmanuel Macron.
Sophie Pétronin, 75 years old today, and Soumaïla Cissé, 70, former minister, presidential candidate and opposition leader, are believed to be in the hands of armed Islamist groups linked to Al-Qaeda.
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