The Franco-Australian kidnapped in Chad on Friday has been released, the Chadian Prime Minister said on Sunday. “I have just learned that the kidnapped Franco-Australian hostage (…) has just been found and brought to safety, in good health”, declared Saleh Kebzabo, congratulating “the defense and security forces for this prompt successful action”.
“We learned with relief of the release of our compatriot,” the French foreign ministry said in a statement. “France thanks the Chadian authorities who worked for this release” and “the services of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (…) remain mobilized to provide all their support to our compatriot and his family”, specified the Quai d’Orsay.
“Five Abductors”
Chad’s transitional president, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, praised in a tweet “this happy ending” and “the efforts made in the context of this release”. The hostage “was released in the province of Tibesti (north), in a border area of Niger and Libya by our defense and security forces”, declared Ayoub Abdelkerim Abdoulaye, governor of the province of Wadi Fira ( east) where the Franco-Australian national had been abducted.
Operations are continuing to apprehend the “five kidnappers” in the far north of Chad, near the border with Libya, we learned from the same source. This area is regularly the scene of clashes between the army and rebels or miners. The Franco-Australian worked for the Sahara Conservation Fund (SCF), a conservation NGO in the Ouadi Rimé-Ouadi Achim wildlife reserve which covers 77,950 km2.
“It was the worst 48 hours of my life”
The director of SCF specified that the Franco-Australian has been director of operations in Chad for a year. He “has a great career in (animal) conservation in Africa, especially in Mozambique and Chad. His release is the best news I have ever heard, it was the worst 48 hours of my life,” said John Watkin, thanking the Chadian authorities. A ranger who has worked with the NGO for several years claims to have been kidnapped at the same time as the Franco-Australian and a driver.
He said they were all heading to the Ouadi Rimé-Ouadi Achim wildlife reserve on Friday afternoon, located some “110 kilometers northwest of Biltine (east)”. Then on the way, “a 4X4 vehicle which was following us overtook us before cutting us off”. The ranger then says he saw five kidnappers with semi-automatic rifles get out of the vehicle. The latter tied their hands and blindfolded them before separating them.
“We drove 45 minutes and the kidnappers left the driver and me face down after puncturing the tires of our car,” he added, specifying that he had not suffered any physical violence. Landlocked in the heart of the Sahel, Chad, with an area of around 1.3 million km2, borders Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger, Libya, Sudan and the Central African Republic.