AL-QAEDA FREE SOUTH AFRICAN HOSTAGE AFTER 6 YEARS

Mon 18 December 2023:

Militants linked to the Al-Qaeda network have released South African paramedic Gerco van Deventer, who was kidnapped in Libya six years ago, the non-governmental organization that facilitated his release said Sunday.

“Gift of the Givers announces the unconditional release of Gerco van Deventer, taken in Libya on Friday, 3 November 2017, sold to (al-Qaeda affiliate Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin) in Mali in 2018 and finally released unconditionally yesterday (on the border between Mali and Algeria) after a period of six years and one month, making him the longest held South African hostage in captivity,” said the South African-based Gift of the Givers.

It added that Deventer was taken to a hospital in Algeria for health checks and would be sent to his country later.

Van Deventer, 48, was kidnapped while traveling to a power plant construction site around 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) south of the capital Tripoli.

Gift of the Givers had been in communication with Al-Qaeda-affiliated groups for a long time to secure his release.

Family will speak once he returns to SA

His wife Shereen told local media that the family would speak when time permitted.

Gift of the Givers founder, Imtiaz Sooliman, said they were roped in to assist the family in 2018 but were unsuccessful in negotiating with Van Deventer’s captors.

“Gift of the Givers announces the unconditional release of Gerco van Deventer, taken in Libya on Friday, 3 November 2017, sold to JNIM (al-Qaeda) in Mali in 2018, and finally released unconditionally yesterday [Saturday] after a period of six years and one month, making him the longest held South African hostage in captivity.”

Van Deventer was picked up by Algerian authorities and taken to hospital for a medical assessment.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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