German Priest Abducted in Mali in 2022 Freed: Officials

German Catholic priest, Father Hans-Joachim Lohre, who disappeared in Mali in November 2022 and was believed to have been kidnapped, has been released. His release was confirmed by two archdiocesan and government officials on Sunday.

Lohre, a member of the Society of Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers), had been living in Mali for around thirty years and taught at the Institut de formation islamo-chrétienne.

He was also the national secretary of a commission for inter-religious dialogue. This is the second German to be freed in less than a year in the Sahel, following the release of German humanitarian Jörg Lange in December 2022.

A number of foreign hostages remain held in the Sahel, with motives ranging from ransom demands to retaliation and bargaining. Mali has been plagued by jihadism and violence since 2012, with kidnappings being one aspect of this.