Three Niger hostages freed

Three hostages associated with Vinci have been freed from captivity in Niger, following their kidnapping on in September 16, 2010. Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQMI), the Islamist group that took them, is still holding four people - three Vinci employees and one from energy company Areva.

The three released hostages are Vinci employees Alex Kodjo Ahonado and Jean-Claude Rakotoarilalao and Françoise Larribe, the wife of Areva employee Daniel Larribe.

"We are very happy for our two colleagues and for Mrs. Larribe and their families, but our thoughts are obviously with Thierry Dol, Marc Feret, Pierre Legrand and Daniel Larribe, who are still held hostage by AQMI, and we hope they will be released rapidly," said Vinci chairman & CEO Xavier Huillard.

Vinci and the Niger authorities have made no further statement on why the kidnappings took place or what demands they have received from AQMI.