A South African paramedic, Gerco van Deventer, who was held captive by jihadists in Mali for more than six years, has been released, according to security and humanitarian sources as reported by AFP on Sunday.
Van Deventer was initially kidnapped in Libya on November 3, 2017, while en route to a power plant construction site approximately 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) south of the capital, Tripoli. Although three Turkish engineers abducted with him were released seven months later, Van Deventer remained in captivity and was subsequently moved to Mali.
Malian security sources informed AFP that the South African hostage was released two days ago on the border between Mali and Algeria. Following his release, Van Deventer is reportedly under observation at a hospital in Algiers.
The information was corroborated by a foreign humanitarian source, and Gift of the Givers, an influential South African charity involved in mediation efforts for his release. The charity stated that it participated in the mediation at the family’s request and had contact with JNIM, the Al-Qaeda-linked group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen, to whom Van Deventer was sold in 2018.
According to Gift of the Givers, the initial ransom request for Gerco was $3 million, and through negotiations over time, the amount was allegedly reduced to £500,000. However, the statement did not specify whether the ransom was paid or by whom, noting that the family could not afford the requested amount.
