Tourist Kidnapped by al-Qaeda Freed 6 Years Later

A Swedish man kidnapped by Islamic militants in northern Mali nearly six years ago has been released from captivity, the Swedish government confirmed Monday. There was no immediate word on the fate of a second hostage, from South Africa, who was also seized in Timbuktu. Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom announced the release of Johan Gustafsson—who had been on a motorcycle tour through Africa when he was seized by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, per the BBC—without giving details on what had finally led to his freedom, leaving also open whether the Nordic country's government paid a ransom in exchange for his freedom. Gustafsson, 42, was flown to Stockholm on a special Swedish government plane later Monday but he did not appear before media, the AP reports.

Following his arrival, Wallstrom said during a news conference that Gustafsson was set free "a few days ago" but declined to give any details on the negotiations except to say that "diplomacy and police work" along with tight international cooperation led to his release. "The Swedish policy is not to pay ransom in connection with kidnappings," Wallstrom said, referring to her government's general guideline, but refused to take questions on Gustafsson's case. There was no immediate word on the fate of Stephen McGown, the South African hostage. A third foreigner had been freed in 2015 by French special forces. The kidnapping of Gustafsson—who Wallstrom said was the longest-held Swedish kidnapping victim "in the modern history of Sweden"—took place in November 2011 as Islamic extremism was gaining a foothold in northern Mali. (More hostage stories.)