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Former hostage Sophie Pétronin, held for four years in northern Mali, went clandestinely to Bamako, where she intends to stay. His return arouses strong reactions, in particular from the French government.
Only a few hours after her arrival on French soil, on October 8, 2020, Sophie Pétronin had not hidden her dream of returning one day to Mali, where she nevertheless spent four years in captivity. Five months after her release, in March 2021, she finally convinced her son, Sébastien, to bring her back to the country. To come back, she embarked on a long journey, started discreetly in Geneva, Switzerland, where she flew to Senegal without any visa. Arrived in Dakar, she traveled 1,300 kilometers by bus and motorcycle taxi to the Malian capital.
The government deplored this return, denouncing a form of irresponsibility. “Why irresponsible? I am at home here. I am doing well and I am happy to be here. I am not bothering anyone and nobody is bothering me.”, replied Sophie Pétronin. The Frenchwoman lived 25 years in Mali, her country of heart, even adopting a little girl, Zeinabou. The latter is now 19 years old, and it is to live by her side that the ex-hostage has returned to Mali. Mother and daughter had lived together secretly for eight months, until the dissemination of a wanted notice by the Malian gendarmerie five days ago, without detailing the reasons.