France announces hostage release in Congo

PARIS – The French president's office has announced the release of a French hostage kidnapped on March 1 in Congo.

The brief two-sentence statement Sunday said the hostage-taking took place in the east of the central African nation, but gave no other details.

It said French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated those involved in the release, "in particular Congo authorities for their mobilization and the effectiveness of their action."

The French hostage was among five workers, including Congolese and a Tanzanian, kidnapped from a gold mine operated by Canadian company Banro Mining Corp.