Mali:AQIM threatens to kill 4 French hostages kidnapped in Niger
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) on Wednesday criticized France for calling for the "invading" of northern Mali, saying that this could lead to "the deaths of the French hostages" and "further misfortune" to France, in a message posted on the Mauritanian website Sahara Medias which authenticated the message through its sources.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Mali-AQIM-threa...
"This initiative will not only be crazy but will result in the death of the hostages, and drown the whole of France in the marshes of Azawad (northern Mali), which will cause for it and for its people more misery and dramas, "threatens the organisation.
"We announce, through this statement, our readiness for negotiations," say the Islamists, who added: "It is the French government has closed the door to negotiations and continues to endanger the life of your son."
"We expect your government to make the first move, just by contacting us, in order to keep its past promises and assurances to families", AQIM said.Contacted by AFP, the hostages' families did not wish to espond in the heat, of the moment said their spokesman, Mireille Blain.. "I am waitingt," René Robert, grandfather of the hostage Pierre Legrand said, the French daily Liberation reported.
These families were received on September 13 by President François Hollande who assured them that "everything was done with the utmost determination" to secure the release of hostages kidnapped in Niger, as well as that of two other French kidnapped in Mali late 2011, also in the hands of AQIM.
The fate of the hostages could depend on the Algerian Abou Zeid, one of the most feared leaders of AQIM, considered responsible for the deaths of two Western hostages.
"We thought that the new French power was wiser than the former and is more concerned with the lives of French citizens" and that it would treat "the real causes that made our fighters target French citizens" says the signatory of the text, Salah Abou Mohamed, "information officer of AQIM."
These threats are addressed to the French government whilst the ECOWAS is studying the conditions for deployment of an African force in Mali to assist the Malian army to conquer the north. At the end of August, François Hollande announced that France would support "this intervention logistically " if it was organized "under international law."
Malian Prime Minister Cheikh Modibo Diarra is currently on a visit to Paris, where he is scheduled to meet with Foreign Minister, Laurent Fabius on Thursday.
Cheikh Modibo Diarra said on Wednesday to AFP that time was "pressing" for an intervention, claiming the need for "more firm" action from the international community. But "the hostage issue could hinder France, it would be legitimate," he noted.
The hostages may also be endangered by the expected protests over anti islamic cartoons published to day in the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.
"We announce, through this statement, our readiness for negotiations," say the Islamists, who added: "It is the French government has closed the door to negotiations and continues to endanger the life of your son."
"We expect your government to make the first move, just by contacting us, in order to keep its past promises and assurances to families", AQIM said.Contacted by AFP, the hostages' families did not wish to espond in the heat, of the moment said their spokesman, Mireille Blain.. "I am waitingt," René Robert, grandfather of the hostage Pierre Legrand said, the French daily Liberation reported.
These families were received on September 13 by President François Hollande who assured them that "everything was done with the utmost determination" to secure the release of hostages kidnapped in Niger, as well as that of two other French kidnapped in Mali late 2011, also in the hands of AQIM.
The fate of the hostages could depend on the Algerian Abou Zeid, one of the most feared leaders of AQIM, considered responsible for the deaths of two Western hostages.
"We thought that the new French power was wiser than the former and is more concerned with the lives of French citizens" and that it would treat "the real causes that made our fighters target French citizens" says the signatory of the text, Salah Abou Mohamed, "information officer of AQIM."
These threats are addressed to the French government whilst the ECOWAS is studying the conditions for deployment of an African force in Mali to assist the Malian army to conquer the north. At the end of August, François Hollande announced that France would support "this intervention logistically " if it was organized "under international law."
Malian Prime Minister Cheikh Modibo Diarra is currently on a visit to Paris, where he is scheduled to meet with Foreign Minister, Laurent Fabius on Thursday.
Cheikh Modibo Diarra said on Wednesday to AFP that time was "pressing" for an intervention, claiming the need for "more firm" action from the international community. But "the hostage issue could hinder France, it would be legitimate," he noted.
The hostages may also be endangered by the expected protests over anti islamic cartoons published to day in the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Mali-AQIM-threa...