An 88-year-old Australian doctor who had been held captive in West Africa for more than seven years has finally been released. Dr. Ken Elliott arrived safely in Australia on Thursday night and was reunited with his wife and children. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said, “I’m very pleased to advise that Dr. Ken Elliott, who’s been held hostage in Western Africa for some seven years, has been reunited in Australia with his family”.

The Australian government confirmed that no ransom was paid for his freedom, although specific details about his release were not disclosed. Reports from local media indicate that Dr. Elliott was reunited with his family in Perth, his hometown on the west coast of Australia. Ken Elliott, a dedicated physician, was kidnapped on January 15, 2016, along with his wife in an unfortunate incident that occurred in West Africa.

Tragically, on the same day as their abduction, Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou, experienced a devastating extremist attack, claiming the lives of 30 people. His wife, Jocelyn Elliott was freed after three weeks. Responsibility for this and other high-profile attacks in West Africa had been claimed by Al-Qaida’s North Africa wing.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP