The Malian presidency confirmed Thursday that French charity worker Sophie Pétronin, who was abducted in Mali and held hostage since December 2016, has been released, reports FRANCE 24.
“The presidency of the Republic confirms the liberation of Mr. Soumaïla Cissé and Ms. Sophie Pétronin. The former hostages are en route for Bamako,” the Malian presidency wrote on Twitter Thursday.
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed news of Pétronin's release as well as that of Soumaïla Cissé – a prominent Malian politician who was abducted in Mali on March 25 – in a statement on Thursday.
"The President of the Republic has learned with immense relief of the liberation of Ms. Jeannine 'Sophie' Pétronin, a French humanitarian working who has been held hostage in Mali for nearly four years," the statement said.
Macron added that he was "particularly grateful to Malian authorities" for their role in orchestrating the pair's release, and reaffirmed France's commitment to supporting Mali in "its fight to persevere against terrorism in the Sahel".