South African citizen kidnapped in Mali in November 2011 by the extremists "al-Qaeda", was released, reported Thursday by CNN, a representative of the Ministry of foreign Affairs of South Africa. Stephen mcgown was released on Saturday and is now back in South Africa, said Clason Monyela.

His father, Malcolm mcgown, said at a press conference in Pretoria that he was grateful to the government of South Africa and everyone else who participated in the liberation of his son. "It took a lot of time, but we won and I am happy to say that my son looks good, and his mind seems as sharp as ever," he said.

Speaking at the same press conference, the Minister for international relations of South Africa Maite Nkoana-Mashabane expressed his condolences in connection with death of the mother MacGown, who died in may when he was still in captivity. Stephen MacGown appeared on the press conference, with his wife Catherine and mother-in-law was present with his father.

MacGown was taken hostage while on vacation in Timbuktu, in Northern Mali, together with the Swedish national Johan Gustafsson and Dutch national Such Rajka. Swedish authorities said Gustavsson returned to Sweden in June this year. Rajka was released in April of 2015, the French intelligence services, said at the time, the Ministry of defence of France.
sections: World News, Accidents, Accidents