French aid worker describes years in captivity in Mali desert


French aid worker Sophie Petronin who was freed from captivity in the hands of Islamist insurgents, speaks to the media in Bamako, Mali October 9, 2020.REUTERS/Paul Logerie

BAMAKO (Reuters) - At one point during her four years in the hands of jihadist militants in northern Mali, French aid worker Sophie Petronin said she felt like giving up hope. She wandered into the desert, sat on the ground in the baking sun and wept.

The 75-year old, who ran a charity for malnourished and orphaned children when she was kidnapped near the desert city of Gao in late 2016, was one of four hostages released and flown to the capital Bamako late on Thursday.

Play, subscribe and stand a chance to win prizes worth over RM39,000! T&C applies.

Monthly Plan

RM 13.90/month

RM 11.12/month

Billed as RM 11.12 for the 1st month, RM 13.90 thereafter.

Best Value

Annual Plan

RM 12.33/month

RM 9.87/month

Billed as RM 118.40 for the 1st year, RM 148 thereafter.

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In World

Ukraine says it is employing new integrated drone-infantry warfare system
Student kills nine in Turkey's second school shooting in two days
U.S. dollar ticks down
Leftist Sanchez in line for Peru runoff as vote count goes down to the wire
Flash: Hezbollah agrees to ceasefire with Israel if it observed by all parties to conflict -- deputy head
US Senate Republicans block bid to rein in Trump Iran war powers, voting continues
Inaugural meeting of CICA Women Council held in Azerbaijan
Colombia court orders Petro government to return emergency funds
Prague event highlights CIIE opportunities, promotes business cooperation
Kyrgyzstan's GDP grows 10.1 pct in Q1 2026

Others Also Read