SWEDISH HOSTAGE OF AL QAEDA FREED

STOCKHOLM // A Swede held hostage by Al Qaeda in Mali since 2011 has been freed, and he is doing well although he is “overwhelmed” by his release, Sweden’s foreign ministry said yesterday. It said Johan Gustafsson could return home but gave no details about how his release was secured. Mr Gustafsson, 42, was abducted in Timbuktu, northern Mali, in November 2011 along with South African Stephen McGowan and Dutchman Sjaak Rijke. Mr Rijke was freed in April 2015 by French special forces. Sweden gave no details about Mr McGowan’s fate.