Bamako, January 13: Italy’s Foreign Minister Franco Frattini on Tuesday held talks with the Mauritanian and Malian presidents to seek help freeing six Europeans, including two Italians, being held by Al-Qaeda.
Frattini who first stopped over in Mauritania, told President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz Rome would renew police and army training assistance for the west African nation to help fight the threat of Al-Qaeda.
“We will renew our cooperation for police and military training, and the policing of borders and customs in the struggle against terrorism,” Frattini said after talks.
Sergio Cicala, 65, and his Burkina Faso-born wife Philomene Kabore, 39, were kidnapped in southeast Mauritania and their minibus was found empty and riddled with bullets, according to security officials.
They are now believed held in neighbouring Mali by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.
Frattini then went to Mali for a short visit where he discussed the hostages with President Amadou Toumani Toure.
“Italy sought help from Mali and Mali told its guest it would do everything in its power to secure the release of all the European hostages,” an official in the Malian presidency said.
Six Europeans – three Spaniards, a French national and two Italians – were kidnapped in November and December in Mauritania and Mali.
Mauritania is Frattini’s first stop of a week-long African tour which will take him on to Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Egypt and Tunisia.
—Agencies