Return of French humanitarian ex-hostage to Mali causes controversy

By Aurore Bonny

DOUALA, Cameroon (AA) - Sebastien Chadaud-Petronin, the son of French humanitarian Sophie Petronin, defended his mother's return to Mali, where she was held as a hostage, to critics on Thursday during an interview with French media.

"My mother is fine, she is in Bamako. She has not decided to return to the desert to her torturers as has been said. She also left to find her daughter," he said.

Sophie Petronin adopted a daughter who lives in Mali.

She founded a humanitarian aid association to help children who suffer from malnutrition in Gao, northern Mali where she was kidnapped by an armed faction on Dec. 24, 2016. She was released on Oct. 6, 2020, after negotiations by the Malian government that focused on the release of Soumaila Cisse, a Malian politician held with her.

France did not participate in the negotiations and did not pay any ransom, according to French Prime Minister Jean Castex, quoted by local media.

"I have long sought to know to whom I should present my thanks, her too. But we never knew who to thank. We don't know what France's role was in her liberation," Sebastien Chadaud-Petronin said.

Shortly after returning to France, she went back to Mali by road without French authorities’ approval.

Her presence in the country was confirmed by Malian authorities late this October.

This information has caused outrage in France.

Gabriel Attal, the French government spokesman, denounced "a form of irresponsibility" on the part of the septuagenarian with regard to herself as well as with regard to the safety of the French military.

Marine le Pen, the French presidential candidate for 2022, called the son's remarks "indecent."

She suggested that France should send him "operations’ bills that led to the release of his mother."

Helene Laporte, a French member of the European Parliament, deplored a "contempt" for the French army's performance in the "fight against Islamist terrorism."

"Converted to Islam, she was not a hostage and wanted to stay with her Islamist friends," Clement Weill-Raynal, a French journalist tweeted.

This version was also supported by Eric Zemmour, putative candidate for the next French presidential elections, during an appearance on Cnews, a local television station.

The humanitarian has currently locked herself up in an apartment in Bamako, the Malian capital, according to her son.

"Her place is in Bamako with her daughter. She would just like everyone to forget about her, to leave her alone," he said.

He said people only want to give the villain’s role to her, but she was “unhappy” out of Mali where she had spent 20 years of her life.