Freed Dutch Al Qaeda captive describes three-year desert ordeal

Sjaak Rijke, a former Dutch hostage freed from an al Qaeda-linked group in Mali arrives at the airport in Bamako, April 7, 2015. REUTERS/Adama Diarra

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A Dutchman freed from captivity in Mali by French soldiers this week described his struggle to remain mentally and physically well during the three and a half years he spent sleeping outside in the desert as an Al Qaeda hostage.

In his first statement since being freed on Monday, Sjaak Rijke said the years of captivity had been difficult although he had mostly been well treated by his captors.