Release of Romanian Hostage Kidnapped from Mine in Burkina Faso Eight Years Ago

The Romanian Foreign Ministry announced today, Wednesday, the release of a Romanian security officer who was kidnapped from a manganese extraction project in Burkina Faso in 2015, with support from foreign partners including Morocco. The Romanian Foreign Ministry stated in a press release, "He has been released and is now safe on Romanian territory," confirming that he has returned safely to Romania. The ministry expressed gratitude to "all foreign partners, especially the Moroccan authorities, for the significant support they provided to resolve this extremely complex case." Julian Grigore was 39 years old when he was abducted by unidentified armed men from the project in Tambao in northern Burkina Faso, near the border with Mali, where he was working in security. The militant Islamist group al-Mourabitoun later claimed responsibility for the kidnapping, with a spokesperson stating that they had offered terms to Romania for his release.