A German priest who was kidnapped in Mali just over one year ago has been released.
Father Hans Joachim Lohre, a White Fathers missionary, was abducted on November 20, 2022; he was set free on November 26, 2023.
The details of the priest’s release were not disclosed, but apparently involved negotiations with the kidnappers by the German government. He was handed over to government officials in Mali and immediately flown to Germany.
Father Lohre had lived in Mali for over 30 years, and taught at an Islamic-Christian Training Center. Government officials in Mali attribute his kidnapping to an Islamic group with ties to Al Qaida.