N’DJAMENA (Reuters) – A conservationist with dual French and Australian citizenship has been freed after he was taken hostage in Chad earlier this week, interim President Mahamat Idriss Deby said on Sunday.
The man, who manages an oryx park on behalf of a conservation group, was kidnapped by unknown individuals in the northeastern Wadi Fira province on Friday.
Deby announced his release on Twitter without providing any details on how it was achieved.
“I am delighted with this happy ending,” he said.
On Saturday, a source at the French foreign ministry said the ministry was aware a French citizen had been kidnapped and was in contact with his family and Chadian authorities to obtain a rapid release
The ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his release.
(Reporting by Mahamat Ramadane; Additional reporting by Gus Trompiz in Paris; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; editing by Barbara Lewis)
