3 Egyptians kidnapped in Mali released

Today, Sunday, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the release of the three citizens who were kidnapped in Mali at the beginning of this November, in coordination with the Malian government through the Egyptian Embassy in Bamako.

In an official statement, the Foreign Ministry affirmed its keenness to continuously monitor the conditions of Egyptians abroad, provide them with the utmost levels of protection and support, and work to remove any obstacles they may face.

The Ministry renewed its call to Egyptians residing in Mali to fully adhere to the instructions of the local authorities, to always carry identification papers, and to exercise caution, while avoiding traveling or moving outside the capital, Bamako, at the present time, in order to preserve their safety.

In early November, Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Ati called on his Malian counterpart, Abdallah Diop, to exert maximum efforts to release the three kidnapped people and provide protection for the Egyptians residing there, stressing that Cairo is closely following developments and coordinating with the financial authorities to ensure the safety of its citizens.

It is noteworthy that an extremist group calling itself “Supporting Islam and Muslims” linked to Al-Qaeda had claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of the three Egyptians in Mali, and demanded a ransom of five million dollars.