French hostage freed from DR Congo

A Frenchman who was abducted nearly two months ago in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been freed, the office of French president Emmanuel Macron announced yesterday.

The freed hostage was among five gold mine workers who were seized on March 1 in the east of the troubled country. They worked for Banro, a Canadian gold mining corporation that runs two mines in DR Congo and is exploring for the mineral elsewhere in the vast, resource-rich country.

Mr Macron praised the DR Congo authorities “for their mobilisation and the effectiveness of their action” in obtaining the French hostage’s release.

A Tanzanian was freed in April, but it is believed three Congolese workers remain in captivity.