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The return to Mali of the ex-hostage Sophie Pétronin for eight months is debated. The 76-year-old Frenchwoman who had spent four years in captivity in the north of the country, returned illegally to Bamako. The French government deplores this choice.
On October 8, 2020, after four years in captivity, Sophie Pétronin finally found freedom and her son, Sébastien. But barely released, the ex-hostage already expressed his wish to return to Mali. The 76-year-old Frenchwoman only waited five months after her release to return to Bamako, after a long journey lasting several days. She flew from Geneva, Switzerland, to Dakar, Senegal, then traveled 1,300 kilometers by bus and motorcycle taxi.
With the help of her son, Sophie Pétronin returned to Mali on the sly, without a visa. French government spokesman Gabriel Attal blasted this return: “There is a form of irresponsibility vis-à-vis its own security, but also vis-à-vis the security of our soldiers. I remind you that when we have nationals taken hostage abroad, this are our soldiers who will rescue them at the risk of their lives. “ From Mali, the Frenchwoman defends herself by believing that she is “At her place”, alongside her adopted daughter. The Malian gendarmerie issued a search notice targeting her, asking to apprehend her. She says she doesn’t know why.