NORTH AFRICA UNITED
Following the capture of seven Algerian diplomats in Gao , three of tem were released after intensive negotiations between The Algerian government and Mujao. Then the Algerians captured three senior AQIM men in Ghardaia in Algeria one of whom was Necib Tayeb. The Malian daily Le Républican reviews the situation.
Mujao threatened to kill a hostage if the three AQI men were not released.. Algeria has a policy of refusing to negotiate with terrorists or paying ransoms. Mujao announced an eight day deadline for a reply from the Algerian government after which they said on a video that Tahar Touati the Vice Consul was executed although the Algerian government has so far said it has not been able to verify this.
Le Républican says that Algeria is now under pressure because Mujao has threatened to execute the other hostages. the Algerian government is being very cautious and making hardly any statements although it says it is in touch with Mujao. Will it risk the lives of its diplomats because of the prinicple of not negotiating with terrorists? At stake is Algeria’s war with its own AQIM terrorists which it is trying to crush. Reports in the French press show President François Hollande coming under increased pressure over the hostages Pierre Legrand, Marc Feret, Thierry Dol and Daniel Larribe. These were employees of French companies Areeva and Vinci in Niger where they were kidnapped. A recent video posted on the internet showed them alive for the first time in nearly two years. Their releatives are leading a press campaign to raise awareness of their plight and they met President Hollande at his invitation. In the grim business of hostage taking Algeria is not alone in facing difficult decisions. Following the attack on the American Consulate in Benghazi it is also not alone in having its diplomats killed or menaced with death.
Tags : Algeria, Daniel Larribe, France Francoise Hollande, Gao, hostages, Mali, Marc feret, Mujao, Pierre Legrand, Thierry Dol, Touati
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