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Cameroon hostages: French Moulin-Fournier family freed | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Seven members of a French family kidnapped by gunmen in northern Cameroon in February have been freed. | |
Cameroon's Communications Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary told the BBC the Moulin-Fournier family, including four children, were in good condition. | |
In a video published on YouTube, militants from the Nigerian group Boko Haram had claimed to be holding them. | |
The French president said France had not paid a ransom to free the family who are now in the capital, Yaounde. | |
The family arrived at the French embassy with a heavy security escort, the AFP news agency reports. | |
President Francois Hollande said secret talks had been taking place for the past few weeks to help secure their release, but the country had not paid a ransom, Reuters news agency reports. | |
"France has not changed its position, which is not to pay ransoms," the agency quotes him as saying at a news conference in Paris. | "France has not changed its position, which is not to pay ransoms," the agency quotes him as saying at a news conference in Paris. |
"I spoke to the father this morning... He told me how happy and relieved he was." | "I spoke to the father this morning... He told me how happy and relieved he was." |
The release of the hostages was announced on national radio in Cameroon on Friday morning. | The release of the hostages was announced on national radio in Cameroon on Friday morning. |
The statement from the presidency said they had been handed over to Cameroon authorities late on Thursday. | The statement from the presidency said they had been handed over to Cameroon authorities late on Thursday. |
Both the Nigerian and French governments were thanked in the statement, but no further explanation was given about how they were freed. | |
The French president's office said that Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius had immediately left for Cameroon to greet the family, AFP reported. | |
Mr Fabius told AFP the French hostage were freed overnight "in an area between Nigeria and Cameroon". | Mr Fabius told AFP the French hostage were freed overnight "in an area between Nigeria and Cameroon". |
Prisoner demand | Prisoner demand |
The family, who live in Yaounde, where Tanguy Moulin-Fournier worked for the French gas group Suez, had been returning from a holiday in the Waza National Park in the far north of Cameroon when they were kidnapped by gunmen on motorbikes on 19 February. | |
Mr Moulin-Fournier, his wife Albane and four children, aged between five and 12, had been joined on their vacation by his brother Cyril. | |
In the YouTube video released about a week after their capture, the militants demanded the release of prisoners in Cameroon and Nigeria. | In the YouTube video released about a week after their capture, the militants demanded the release of prisoners in Cameroon and Nigeria. |
One of them also criticised President Hollande for sending troops to fight Islamist militants in northern Mali in January. | One of them also criticised President Hollande for sending troops to fight Islamist militants in northern Mali in January. |
"Let the French president know that he has launched war against Islam," he said. | "Let the French president know that he has launched war against Islam," he said. |
The French-led operation in Mali has ousted the Islamist groups, including al-Qaeda's North African branch, from cities and town in the vast desert region they had captured a year ago in the wake of a coup. | The French-led operation in Mali has ousted the Islamist groups, including al-Qaeda's North African branch, from cities and town in the vast desert region they had captured a year ago in the wake of a coup. |
Nigeria has contributed troops to a regional African force which has begun deploying to Mali to take over from French troops. | Nigeria has contributed troops to a regional African force which has begun deploying to Mali to take over from French troops. |
One of the hostages in the video said his captors were "Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad" - the official name for Boko Haram, as the Islamist group is popularly known in Nigeria. | One of the hostages in the video said his captors were "Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad" - the official name for Boko Haram, as the Islamist group is popularly known in Nigeria. |
Boko Haram, which began its insurgency following a deadly crackdown on its members in 2009, had previously said it was not involved in hostage taking. | Boko Haram, which began its insurgency following a deadly crackdown on its members in 2009, had previously said it was not involved in hostage taking. |
It has usually followed a Nigerian agenda, and says it wants to establish an Islamic state. | It has usually followed a Nigerian agenda, and says it wants to establish an Islamic state. |
During its insurgency at least 2,000 people have been kill in northern and parts of central Nigeria. | During its insurgency at least 2,000 people have been kill in northern and parts of central Nigeria. |
Another Islamist group, Ansaru - which was formed in 2012 and is believed to have links to al-Qaeda - is also active in northern Nigeria and has been involved in abducting foreigners. | Another Islamist group, Ansaru - which was formed in 2012 and is believed to have links to al-Qaeda - is also active in northern Nigeria and has been involved in abducting foreigners. |