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| French family seized in Cameroon by suspected Boko Haram Islamists freed | French family seized in Cameroon by suspected Boko Haram Islamists freed |
| (7 days later) | |
| A family from France who were kidnapped in Cameroon and held in Nigeria for two months by suspected Boko Haram Islamist militants have been released, but French president François Hollande has denied that a ransom had been paid. | A family from France who were kidnapped in Cameroon and held in Nigeria for two months by suspected Boko Haram Islamist militants have been released, but French president François Hollande has denied that a ransom had been paid. |
| Tanguy Moulin-Fournier, an expat employee of the French gas group GDF Suez, based in the Cameroon capital, his four children, aged between four and 12, as well as his wife and brother, were on holiday near the Waza national park in the far north of Cameroon in February when they were seized by men on motorbikes armed with Kalashnikov rifles. | Tanguy Moulin-Fournier, an expat employee of the French gas group GDF Suez, based in the Cameroon capital, his four children, aged between four and 12, as well as his wife and brother, were on holiday near the Waza national park in the far north of Cameroon in February when they were seized by men on motorbikes armed with Kalashnikov rifles. |
| Gunmen claiming to be from the Nigerian radical Islamist militant group Boko Haram released videos of the family, threatening to kill them if authorities in Nigeria and Cameroon did not release Muslim militants held there. | Gunmen claiming to be from the Nigerian radical Islamist militant group Boko Haram released videos of the family, threatening to kill them if authorities in Nigeria and Cameroon did not release Muslim militants held there. |
| It was the first case of foreigners being taken in the north of the country, a former French colony. The kidnapping came six weeks after France launched a military intervention in Mali to fight Islamist groups who had taken over a swath of the north after a coup. | It was the first case of foreigners being taken in the north of the country, a former French colony. The kidnapping came six weeks after France launched a military intervention in Mali to fight Islamist groups who had taken over a swath of the north after a coup. |
| Speaking to France Inter radio, Moulin-Fournier said that the family learned their release was imminent just a few hours beforehand and that their return to safety went well. He said: "[The captivity] was long. It was difficult. It was hard physically and psychologically." | Speaking to France Inter radio, Moulin-Fournier said that the family learned their release was imminent just a few hours beforehand and that their return to safety went well. He said: "[The captivity] was long. It was difficult. It was hard physically and psychologically." |
| His wife Albane told on Cameroonian television: "We are very happy to be released. I want to thank [Cameroon] President Paul Biya for making all the effort to ensure our release."The two men had thick beards while the children, wearing flip-flops, knee-length shorts and T-shirts, looked drawn. | His wife Albane told on Cameroonian television: "We are very happy to be released. I want to thank [Cameroon] President Paul Biya for making all the effort to ensure our release."The two men had thick beards while the children, wearing flip-flops, knee-length shorts and T-shirts, looked drawn. |
| Hollande told a news conference that secret talks had been taking place over several weeks to secure the hostages' release. "France has not changed its position, which is not to pay ransoms," he said. | Hollande told a news conference that secret talks had been taking place over several weeks to secure the hostages' release. "France has not changed its position, which is not to pay ransoms," he said. |
| In February, the former US ambassador to Mali, Vicki Huddleston, claimed that France in recent years had paid millions of dollars in ransoms in the Sahel region that had ultimately funded the al-Qaida-linked militants its troops were fighting in Mali. French officials denied ransom payments had been made. | In February, the former US ambassador to Mali, Vicki Huddleston, claimed that France in recent years had paid millions of dollars in ransoms in the Sahel region that had ultimately funded the al-Qaida-linked militants its troops were fighting in Mali. French officials denied ransom payments had been made. |
| Hollande said: "I spoke to the father this morning … He told me how happy and relieved he was. This is an immense relief. This will redouble our determination to free the hostages who remain." | Hollande said: "I spoke to the father this morning … He told me how happy and relieved he was. This is an immense relief. This will redouble our determination to free the hostages who remain." |
| Eight French hostages are still held by al-Qaida-linked groups in the Sahel. | Eight French hostages are still held by al-Qaida-linked groups in the Sahel. |
| Last month, a video surfaced showing a man who appeared to be Moulin-Fournier. The man said his family was being held by Boko Haram, which wanted its members freed, especially women and children held in Nigerian and Cameroonian custody. | Last month, a video surfaced showing a man who appeared to be Moulin-Fournier. The man said his family was being held by Boko Haram, which wanted its members freed, especially women and children held in Nigerian and Cameroonian custody. |
| The group has been waging a campaign of bombings and shootings across Nigeria's north. It has been held responsible for more than 790 deaths last year and dozens more since January. | The group has been waging a campaign of bombings and shootings across Nigeria's north. It has been held responsible for more than 790 deaths last year and dozens more since January. |
| In the video, the man said his family was not doing well in captivity. "We lose strength every day and are starting to get sick," he said in the recording. | In the video, the man said his family was not doing well in captivity. "We lose strength every day and are starting to get sick," he said in the recording. |
| The French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, has flown to Cameroon and said the family would be repatriated as soon as possible. | The French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, has flown to Cameroon and said the family would be repatriated as soon as possible. |
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