MALI – Nun in Mali kidnapped by alleged jihadists
The Colombian Foreign Ministry confirmed from the San Carlos Palace in Bogotá that Sister Gloria Cecilia Narváez, a religious Sister from Colombia, was abducted by armed men while serving in Mali. Although all four of the Franciscan Sisters of Mary Immaculate who live in the house in Karangasso were present at the time of the intrusion, the other three managed to escape. Colombian bishops are asking for prayers for Sister Cecelia.
The superior, Sister Noemi Quesada, said the men forced Sister Cecilia to hand over the keys to the community’s ambulance. The vehicle was later found abandoned. Sister Quesada said the kidnappers claimed to be jihadists but so far, no one has taken responsibility for the kidnapping.
However, Fr. Edmond Dembele, secretary general of the Malian Bishops’ Conference, acknowledged the possibility that the kidnapping was carried out by bandits who claimed to be jihadists to mislead police. This theory is supported by the fact that the perpetrators stole the sisters’ computers, money and vehicle.
Karangasso is also in southeast Mali, far from the areas in the country’s north where jihadist groups such as Al Qaeda operate.
ACN Malta
