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Mali: the body of the Swiss hostage, declared dead in October, formally identified

2021-03-31T15:20:01.782Z


Béatrice Stöckli, evangelical missionary, was kidnapped in January 2016 in Timbuktu. The announcement of his death had been made several months ago. It is now confirmed. The body of Béatrice Stöckli, a Swiss hostage killed in Mali, has been found and formally identified, and her remains will be transferred to Switzerland as soon as possible, the foreign ministry in Bern said on Wednesday. In October 2020, Switzerland was informed that the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM


The announcement of his death had been made several months ago.

It is now confirmed.

The body of Béatrice Stöckli, a Swiss hostage killed in Mali, has been found and formally identified, and her remains will be transferred to Switzerland as soon as possible, the foreign ministry in Bern said on Wednesday.

In October 2020, Switzerland was informed that the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM), an alliance of jihadist groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda, had executed Béatrice Stöckli, an evangelical missionary, who had been kidnapped in January 2016 in Timbuktu.

We now have the sad certainty of the death of Beatrix Stöckli.

My thoughts are with the family of our compatriot 🇨🇭🕊️ I am relieved that this case was resolved soon after my visit to Mali.

Thank you to the authorities 


🇲🇱 for their invaluable support ➡️ https://t.co/JxrRnuFsed

- Ignazio Cassis (@ignaziocassis) March 31, 2021

The announcement of his execution was based on the testimonies of other hostages released in October last year - including the French Sophie Pétronin - as well as a video claiming GSIM, active in Mali.

Confirmation by DNA analysis

"A few days ago, the Malian authorities informed Switzerland that the body of a person had been handed over to them, probably that of the Swiss hostage," the ministry said in a statement.

The Malian authorities had DNA samples taken which were analyzed by the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the University of Zurich which confirmed that the DNA is indeed that of the former hostage.

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Ms. Stöckli's remains will be repatriated to Switzerland as soon as the Malian authorities have given their consent.

It will then be given to the family, specifies the ministry.

Source: leparis

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