Prime Minister: Algeria freed kidnapped diplomats without paying ransom

Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal said Algeria did not pay any ransom in return for the release of diplomats kidnapped by terrorist groups in Northern Mali, about three years ago.

“Algeria has recently freed the last two hostages who had been held in Mali for about three years. It did not pay any kind of ransom,” Sellal said at a counter-terrorism summit in Nairobi.

He added that priority must be given to counter this phenomenon which is a real threat on African communities and nations’ stability.

He also said African nations should take special measures about challenges related to countering terrorism in Africa.

“African nations should be creative in reactivating technical and operational systems of the African Union. The continent’s stability needs efforts in development, conflicts settlement and countering terrorism,” he added.