An Australian doctor who’s been held captive in West Africa for more than seven years has been released.
Kenneth Elliott, 88, from Perth, is safe and well and has been reunited with his wife Jocelyn and their children, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said on Friday.
Dr Elliott and his wife ran … a medical clinic in Burkina Faso for many years and taken hostage seven years ago. His wife was released after three weeks but unfortunately Dr Elliott was held for a further seven years,” Senator Wong said.
“The Australian government has been working tirelessly over that time to secure his release and I want to publicly thank all of the government
officials who have worked to ensure that Dr Elliott has been released. He arrived back in Australia last night and has been reunited with his family.”
In a statement, Dr Elliott’s family said they wanted to “express our thanks to God and all who have continued to pray for us”.
“We express our relief that Dr Elliott is free and thank the Australian government and all who have been involved over time to secure his release,” they said.
“At 88 years of age, and after many years away from home, Dr Elliott now needs time and privacy to rest and rebuild strength.
“We thank you for your understanding and sympathy.”
Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham welcomed the news, saying officials should be credited with achieving a breakthrough.
“This is a good day for many people, but a good day most of all for Dr Ken Elliot and his family and loved ones,” he told Sky News.
Senator Birmingham said maintaining lines of communication with terrorists and the addition of the pandemic would have complicated matters over the years.
“Thankfully, he is now safe,” he said.
“That’s a credit to work over many, many years of individuals who sought to establish the type of lines of dialogue and communications to be able to secure this outcome.”
Dr Elliott and his wife were kidnapped by al-Qaeda linked terrorists in January 2016 near the border with Mali and Niger, where they had run a medical clinic since the 1970s.
– with AAP
