Spanish national freed by Malian armed group arrives in Algeria

By Hassen Djebril

ALGIERS (AA) – A Spanish national freed by an armed group in Mali has arrived in Algeria to be handed over to Spain, the Algerian Defense Ministry said.

A ministry statement said that Navarro Giane Gilbert is in good health.

According to the statement, the Spanish tourist was kidnapped by an armed group near the Malian-Algerian border area on Jan. 14.

The ministry said the Spanish national was transferred to Boufarik Air Base in southern Algiers and will be handed over to Spain.

The Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), a coalition of separatist armed groups in Mali’s predominately Tuareg north, confirmed on Tuesday that the Spanish tourist was handed over to Algeria.

Mali has been in turmoil since the breakdown of a 2015 peace agreement between Mali’s transitional authorities and armed separatist groups.

Malian forces have launched a series of military raids on armed groups in the north.

*Writing by Betul Yilmaz