Mali releases prisoners in exchange for French hostages

Mali's Justice Minister Mohamed Bathily admitted on December 12 that the country had to release a number of prisoners in exchange for French hostage Lazarevic.

Serge Lazarevic, 51, was captured by Al-Qaeda gunmen in Mali in 2011 and released four days ago. His partner, Philippe Verdon, was found dead last year.

French hostage Lazarevic has just been rescued from Al-Qaeda (photo: AP)

In an interview with French television channel France 24, Justice Minister Bathili admitted that Mali had to release four prisoners in exchange for Lazarevic's freedom.

Mr Bathili also said Mali had made similar deals to free 30 people held in the northern city of Kidal, a stronghold of Tuareg separatists.

The prisoner-for-hostage swap deal has sparked protests as it emerged that the 2011 kidnapping accomplice, Mahamed Aly Ag Wadoussene, was among the four released prisoners.

However, Mali's Justice Minister affirmed that the legal process against Wadoussene will continue after his release.

In addition to the kidnapping charges against French citizens, Wadoussene also faces charges of a prison break in June in which a guard was killed.

According to vov.vn