Three Italians kidnapped in Mali in 2022 have been released, according to an announcement by the Italian government on Monday. The freed individuals are identified as Rocco Langone, Maria Donata Caivano, and Giovanni Langone, who were taken captive by an Islamist militant group while residing in a Jehovah’s Witnesses community in the southern city of Koutiala.
The kidnapping was carried out by a jihadist group allied with Al Qaeda militants. The Italian government credited the release to the efforts of the Italian intelligence agency AISE and the foreign ministry, which collaborated with tribal representatives and Malian intelligence. However, specific details about the operation were not disclosed.
Despite the prolonged captivity, the Langone family members are reported to be in good health. They are expected to return to Rome on Tuesday. The family, consisting of a couple in their 70s and their son in his 50s at the time of the abduction, had been residing in Mali when the incident occurred, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the Jehovah’s Witnesses church in 2022.
Mali has faced ongoing challenges in combating Islamist insurgents over the past decade, leading to regional destabilization. The country has served as a base for militant activities, impacting the wider West Africa Sahel region and its coastal neighbors.