Australian couple kidnapped in B’Faso: Wife released

An Australian woman who was kidnapped alongside her husband on the same day a deadly attack was recorded at a hotel in the Burkina Faso capital, Ouagadougou has been freed by militants in neighbouring Niger.

Jocelyn Elliott and her husband Ken (both in their 80′) where kidnapped last month in Djibo near the border with Mali.

Read also: B’Faso: Social media abuzz for kidnapped Australian

Though her husband is still in captivity, reports say efforts to get his release were continuing with Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull confirming that his government has been in touch with Mrs Elliot following her release from captivity.

Moments before her release, the group, al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), said in an audio recording that it would release Mrs Elliott so as “not to make women involved in the war”.

AQIM also informed via the audio recording that the kidnapping was an attempt to secure the release of imprisoned fighters.

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