Kidnapped Italian Nuns Freed; “Prayers Answered”
Worthy News Staff
NAIROBI, KENYA (Worthy News) — Two Italian nuns kidnapped by Somali gunmen in a cross-border raid into Kenya in November were spent another day in freedom Thursday, February 26, after they were suddenly freed, missionaries confirmed.
Somali gunmen had abducted Catholic missionaries Caterina Giraudo, 67, and Maria Teresa Olivero,60
November 10 after a raid on the remote Kenyan border town of El Wak. The kidnappers then took them deeper into Somalia.
Speaking by phone from the Italian Embassy in Nairobi, Sister Giraudo said “thank God, we are well. Only yesterday, we were in a terrible condition but today we are well, we have resuscitated. We have no words to thank the people we found upon our arrival.” She said, “We were treated well, we are fine … they gave us what was necessary.”
The Vatican called the release, which is believed to have happened last week Wednesday, February 18, an answer to prayers. “We had been praying for them for months,” said Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi. He cautioned however that “all the other hostages” worldwide should not be forgotten.
Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi also said he was happy to learn of their release. Italy’s ambassador to Kenya, Pierandrea Magistrati, said the nuns were safe.
Somalia is one of the world’s most dangerous countries for aid workers who are often abducted or killed in attacks usually blamed on insurgents or clan militia, observers said. Two Somalis working for the United Nation’s World Food program were shot dead in southern Somalia last month. (With reporting by Worthy News’ Stefan J. Bos).