French hostages kidnapped in Niger released

French President Francois Hollande on Tuesday announced that four French citizens kidnapped on 2010 in Niger had been released. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian were heading for Niger's capital Niamey, in order to make sure that the four French citizens could return to France, he said. Hollande also expressed his gratitude to Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou "who succeeded in releasing our compatriots." Four French hostages were abducted on Sept. 16, 2010, at Arlit region in Niger, close to Algerian borders, along with other four colleagues working for French nuclear group Areva and its sub-contractor Vinci Satom. Seven French nationals are still being held hostage, "two in the Sahel region, one in Nigeria and four in Syria," Hollande confirmed.