2 months ago

A French journalist recounts 711 days of captivity as a hostage of Islamic extremists in Mali

DAKAR, Senegal — For a foreign correspondent in Mali, the assignment seemed like a dream: as Islamic extremists upended the region, Olivier Dubois, a French journalist, secured a rare interview with a leader of JNIM, an al-Qaida’s affiliate in the Sahel. “One of the main factors that helped me resist and survive was telling myself that I am a journalist,” Dubois told The Associated Press in the first interview for English-language media since his release. “Let’s continue to gather information, let’s continue to ask questions and pretend I’m working.” The Sahel countries of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger in recent years have been upended by military coups and are now led by military juntas, which struggle against rising extremist violence and have made kidnappings a cornerstone of their strategy in the region. This captivity has been the beginning of a journey that will perhaps lead me to God — or not.” Now that his book — “Prisonnier du désert, 711 jours aux mains d’Al-Qaïda,” which translates in English into “Prisoner of the desert, 711 days in the hands of Al-Qaida” — is out, Dubois said he was hoping he was ready to go back to journalism and move on.

Associated Press
Islam French Release Dubois Mali His Release Sahel 711 Days
A French journalist recounts 711 days of captivity as a hostage of Islamic extremists in Mali
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