"This attack is all about Burkina Faso’s membership of the G5 Sahel force"

Since his return, McGowan has spent several days in hospital with a fever and headaches, although is recovering now.

Gift of the Givers has sent a negotiator to Mali in an attempt to make contact with Stephen McGowan and Johan Gustafson’s kidnappers.

Stephen McGowan’s family have been asked to keep a low profile after French forces rescued one of his fellow al-Qaeda hostages.

Stephen McGowan’s whereabouts are unknown despite the release of the Dutch national who was kidnapped alongside him in Timbuktu in 2011.

Al-Qaeda has released a new video of seven foreign hostages, including South African Stephen McGowan, urging negotiations for their release.

Three Westerners, including a South African man, abducted nearly nine months ago by al-Qaeda in Mali have urged their governments to help free them.