Béatrice Stöckli

Béatrice Stöckli (died 9 October 2020) was a Swiss Christian missionary. She was killed in 2020 after having been taken hostage by the Islamic militant group Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin, a branch of Al-Qaeda in Mali.

Biography

Stöckli was from Basel.[1] She worked as an Evangelical Christian missionary in Mali.[2] Stöckli was kidnapped in April 2012, after being in Mali for ten years, by an Islamic extremist group.[3] She was later released under the terms that she not return to Mali.[3][4] She returned, and was kidnapped again in 2016 by Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin, the official branch of Al-Qaeda in Mali, while working in Timbuktu.[5][6] In July 2017 she appeared in a video released by the terrorist group, wearing a black headscarf, and was identified as "Beatrice S."[7]

On 9 October 2020 French authorities notified the Swiss Federal Government that a Swiss hostage in Mali was killed by Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin, after her death was confirmed by fellow hostage Sophie Pétronin.[8][9] Her death was confirmed by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.[10][11] Ignazio Cassis, the Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, released a statement saying "It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of our fellow citizen. I condemn this cruel act and express my deepest sympathy to the relatives."[12][13][14]

Stöckli's remains were recovered in March 2021.[15]

See also

References

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