Two French journalists held hostage in Iraq have been released, French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin has said. "I have the profound joy of announcing that Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot have been freed," Raffarin told the Senate upper house of parliament to loud applause followed by a standing ovation. "Our joy will be complete when they are safely back on home soil."
Thierry Chesnot, Chesnot's brother, said he had been informed by the government that the two men were in Amman, the capital of Jordan, and would return to France on Wednesday. This could not immediately be confirmed. The two men were kidnapped with their Syrian driver Mohammed al-Jundi in August while on their way to the Iraqi holy city of Najaf. "I would like, before the upper house of parliament, to pay tribute to the courage of these two men, Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot, who have suffered these long months in difficult conditions," Raffarin said. Arabic broadcaster Al Jazeera said earlier that Iraqi militants had handed over the two men to the French embassy in Baghdad but the mission did not confirm this. |