German priest freed 12 months after being kidnapped in Mali

A German priest who was kidnapped in Mali last year has been freed.

The news about Father Hans-Joachim Lohre was announced this Sunday, November 26, by a government representative in Mali.

Two representatives of the archdiocese – who wished to remain anonymous – confirmed that the priest had been set free. It is believed that the clergyman had already boarded a plane that was headed for his homeland, reported faz.net.

Lohre disappeared in the Malian capital of Bamako in November 2022 after living in the African country for around 30 years.

At the time of his kidnapping, the clergyman was not missed locally until he failed to turn up for a mass that he was due to hold. His car was found still parked in front of his house and his mobile phone was only diverting to voicemail.

Where had the priest been working?

Prior to his abduction, as well as being responsible for a faith and meeting center in Bamako, the now-freed priest had been teaching at the Institute for Christian-Islamic Education in the same city.

Islamist militias have been trying to bring Mali under their control for around 10 years. Socially and ethnically charged conflicts have regularly exacerbate instability, often resulting in the repeated kidnappings of Christian members of clergy.