Kidnapped Italian Family Returns to Rome After Two Years Captive

February 27, 2024 Hour: 10:11 pm

Three members of an Italian family kidnapped in Mali returned to Rome, after two years in captivity.

RELATED:

Italy Announces Bilateral Security Deal With Ukraine

Rocco Lagone, his wife Maria Donata Caivano and their son Giovanni Langone were released on Monday night and arrived at the Italian airport of Ciampino on a government flight. They claim to be in good health despite their long captivity.

The rescue was achieved in the words of Antonio Tajani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, thanks to the intense activity carried out by the Italian Intelligence Agency.

The family was kidnapped on 19 March at their home in Koutialia, southeast of Bamako, the capital of Mali.

Today marks 2 yrs since Olivier Dubois was kidnapped in #Mali on Apr. 8, 2021. Thankfully, @FreeOlivierDub1 was released on March 20, 2023.

We call on govts to make every effort to free the remaining hostages in the #Sahel including an Italian family of 3 &:
South African… pic.twitter.com/K3BaTA6Hvm

— Hostage Aid Worldwide (@HostageAid)
April 8, 2023

Rocco and his family had settled in Mali for several years. They were members of a Jehovah’s Witness community, integrated into the Koutialia community.

The kidnappers were Support Group for Islam and Muslims, a jihadist organization linked to Al-Qaeda. This group has been very active in West Africa since its founding in 2017.

The Support Group for Islam and Muslims, have been guilty of different cases of kidnapping Westerners as in 2017, when they published a video showing 6 hostages in their possession.

Also in October of the same year he captured 11 soldiers of the Malian army, who were killed between 23 and 24 of the same month during a French bombardment.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Colombia: Social leader Marli Alejandra Acosta was kidnapped in the Catatumbo region. pic.twitter.com/vruCWZoDIM

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish)
January 22, 2024