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France welcomes home hostage Lazarevic

December 10, 2014

France has welcomed home freed hostage Serge Lazarevic after he was released by Al Qaeda's North Africa branch in Mali. Francois Hollande greeted the 51-year-old, who had been France's last hostage being held abroad.

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Serge Lazarevic Befreiung 10.12.2014 Paris
Image: Reuters/P. Wojazer

"Being a hostage is a bit difficult, it's not easy. But life is beautiful, to be freed again," Lazarevic told a waiting group of reporters after landing at Villacoublay airport near Paris on Wednesday morning.

Lazarevic, who had been held hostage for three years by al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, repeatedly thanked Hollande and the government "for having done everything to free me."

Few details

Neither Lazarevic nor Hollande gave further details about what had led to his liberation, announced on Tuesday.

"Welcome, Serge Lazarevic. We've been waiting for you for three years - three years that you have suffered," said Hollande, with the ex-hostage at his side. "You're back. It's a joy to welcome you back."

"This is a joy for all the French people because there are no more French hostages in any country in the world," Hollande told reporters.

Hollande lamented the death of Frenchman Philippe Verdon, who was kidnapped in northern Mali along with Lazaerivic, but who was killed by his captors.

Verdon - who suffered from a heart problem - was found shot dead, with his family suggesting he might have been executed because he was so physically weak.

Warning to compatriots

The president warned French citizens against traveling to risky areas. "I want to deliver a clear and simple message to our compatriots who might find themselves in a high-risk zone: make sure you don't go to places where you could be taken hostage."

Hollande thanked the authorities in Mali and Niger for helping to secure Lazarevic's release.

The Niger presidency in Niamey said in a statement that the liberation was "the result of intense and continued efforts from authorities both in Niger and Mali".

An armed Tuareg group, the High Council for the Unity of Azawad, said it had also "participated in the release" efforts.

France has repeatedly denied paying ransoms, although it has been accused by other nations of using secret back-channels to do so.

rc/ipj (AFP, AP, Reuters)