BABOUA, NOVEMBER, 28, 2014, (CISA) – A polish missionary amongst 16 hostages abducted by Muslim rebels from the Central African Republic (CAR) on October 12 has been freed after two months in captivity.
“A special operation by Cameroonian defence and security forces permitted the liberation of 15 Cameroonian hostages… as well as the Polish priest Fr Mateusz Dziedzic,” Cameroon’s army said in a statement.
The kidnappers, belonging to the rebel group Democratic Front of the Central African People (FDPC) abducted Fr Mateusz Dziedzic on October 12 in the town of Baboua, hoping to use him and 15 Cameroonian hostages as bargaining chips to secure the release of their own leader, Abdoulaye Miskine, who was arrested in Cameroon last year.
Fr Mateusz Dziedzic has been a missionary since 2009 and was abducted by eight armed men belonging to FDPC who demanded the release of their imprisoned leader, Abdoulaye Miskine.
FDPC is one of a number of armed groups that has fought the CAR government in an off-on conflict in the former French colony over the past decade.
Polish Foreign Minister Spokesman Marcin Wojciechowski confirmed the release of the missionary saying “Father Mateusz Dziedzic has been freed.”
“It was a complex act of negotiation involving several countries, countries within the region and international organizations,” he said, underscoring “the role of France” in particular.
Wojciechowski said that the priest’s “state of health isn’t excellent, but he isn’t in danger,” and added that Fr Dziedzic was on his way to Brazaville, the capital of the Republic of the Congo.
