Ten soldiers kidnapped in recent months in northern Mali were released on Saturday, Agence France Presse (AFP) reported. The soldiers were held captive by a group led by a former army officer, Ibrahim Bahanga.
Bahanga was among Tuareg rebels incorporated into the army after the end of a rebellion in the 1990s.
According to AFP, the soldiers were released unconditionally.
However, Bahanga's group appealed for an end to hostilities with the central government and a greater investment in development projects in the northern region, the news agency said. The government also called for an end to hostilities.
A recent string of robberies, carjackings and kidnappings in the region have been attributed to Bahanga's group.
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