S. African kidnapped in Mali released after 6 years

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - A South African man kidnapped by al-Qaeda in the northern city of Timbuktu in Mali six years ago has been released, a South African minister confirmed Thursday.

“The South African government would like to convey its deepest gratitude to all role players for their efforts that eventually secured Stephen McGowan’s release,” Foreign Affairs Minister, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane told reporters in the South African capital Pretoria.

She said no ransom had been paid by her government to secure McGowan’s release.

McGowan was kidnapped in November 2011 along with a Swede and a Dutch national, who was freed in 2015 by French Special Forces.

A German national who reportedly resisted the 2011 abduction was killed. Swedish national Johan Gustafsson was released in June.

Mashabane also conveyed her government’s condolences to the family of Stephen McGowan, whose mother died two months ago.