Last French hostage appears in Al-Qaeda video
The last French hostage still in captivity has appeared in a video aired by an Arabic television channel. Serge Lazarevic, who was kidnapped in Mali by Al-Qaeda in 2011, appealed to French President François Hollande to secure his release.
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The video, which was recorded on 13 May, was shown on Dubai-basedAlaan television on Tuesday.
Wearing a black turban and sporting a long beard, Lazarevic was flanked by armed men.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said the government will continue to work for his release “with great discretion”.
Verdon was kidnapped by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (Aqim) while on a business trip in Mali along with Philippe Verdon, who was found shot dead last July.
His daughter, Diane, said the video was some comfort.
“I haven’t seen my father for two years now,” she told. “I see that my father is in good health and doing well, so it is reassuring.”
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