Gerco van Deventer, a South African who had been held captive by jihadists in Mali for more than six years, has been freed, as confirmed by security and humanitarian sources to AFP on Sunday.
The release occurred two days ago, according to a Malian security source, while a foreign humanitarian source indicated that Van Deventer was liberated near the border between Mali and Algeria.
Reports suggest the recently released hostage is presently receiving medical attention in a hospital in Algiers, as stated by the security source.
The information aligns with details provided by the South African NGO Gift of the Givers.
Van Deventer, aged 48, was abducted in Libya on November 3, 2017, while en route to a power plant construction site, approximately 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) south of Tripoli, the capital.
Although three Turkish engineers, abducted simultaneously, were released seven months later, Van Deventer remained in captivity and was eventually relocated to Mali.
His family persistently advocated for his release, with his wife expressing a heartfelt plea earlier in March, highlighting their urgent need for his return home. At the time of his abduction, Van Deventer was working as an emergency paramedic for a security company, as revealed by his wife.
