The 82 Malian soldiers released after months in captivity were received by Transition President General Assimi Goïta in Bamako on Monday, where they reaffirmed their determination to return to duty and continue defending the country’s territorial integrity. Speaking on behalf of the soldiers, Colonel Adama Bakayoko thanked the authorities for securing their release and called on Malians to support the armed forces.
Chief of General Staff Major General Élisée Jean Dao said no negotiations were held with the captors, claiming authorities instead worked to make the soldiers’ detention untenable for their captors. The reception came a day after the ICRC facilitated the transfer of six wounded Malian soldiers from Kidal to Gao, bringing the number of recently released or evacuated soldiers to 88, although the total number still in captivity remains unclear.
