Malian President Welcomes Home 82 Soldiers Released From Terrorist Captivity
Malian President Welcomes Home 82 Soldiers Released From Terrorist Captivity
Speaking on behalf of his comrades at a ceremony at the Koulouba Palace, Colonel Adama Bakayoko expressed their desire to return to the front lines alongside the rest of the Malian army, according to a statement from the Malian presidency.
No negotiations had been initiated with the enemy to secure the soldiers' release, Élisée Jean Dao, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, said. According to him, instead, conditions had been created to make their detention untenable for their captors.
Minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs Oumar Diarra praised the soldiers' bravery and dignity, stressing that, despite the difficulties encountered during their mission, the authorities had remained determined not to leave any soldier behind.
The 82 soldiers captured by the FLA at the end of April were released on Thursday, the Malian Armed Forces General Staff announced on Saturday.
This release was "the culmination of a process initiated as soon as they were captured" by armed terrorist groups affiliated with the JNIM/FLA* coalition.
* JNIM is ally of FLA terrorists and affiliated with international terrorist organization al-Qaeda.
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