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Al Qaeda frees South African hostage after six years
[DAWN] A South African man kidnapped from his hotel and held hostage by Al Qaeda in Mali since 2011 has been sprung unscathed, his country's foreign ministry said on Thursday.

Stephen McGown, 42, was kidnapped from the historic trading city of Timbuktu in Mali's north along with Swede Johan Gustafsson and Dutchman Sjaak Rijke, both of whom were subsequently released.

McGown has returned to South Africa and been reunited with his family, foreign ministry official Clayson Monyela told AFP.

"It was a big surprise when he walked through the door. When I gave him a hug, he was as sound and as strong as before, so he was obviously well treated up there," Stephen's father Malcolm told news hounds in Pretoria, though Stephen himself did not attend the press briefing.
Posted by: Fred 2017-08-04
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=494239