Switzerland says Swiss hostage in Mali has been killed

The ministry said in a statement on Friday that it was informed by the French authorities that the hostage, whose name wasn't released, had been "killed by kidnappers of the Islamist terrorist organization Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslim about a month ago." The group is Mali's branch of al-Qaida. Switzerland's foreign minister expressed shock over the news.

Switzerland's Foreign Ministry has said a Swiss woman who was held hostage in Mali has been killed by an Islamist group. The ministry said in a statement on Friday that it was informed by the French authorities that the hostage, whose name wasn't released, had been "killed by kidnappers of the Islamist terrorist organization Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslim about a month ago." The group is Mali's branch of al-Qaida.

Switzerland's foreign minister expressed shock over the news. "It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of our fellow citizen," Ignazio Cassis said in a statement. "I condemn this cruel act and express my deepest sympathy to the relatives." Cassis said the exact circumstances of the killing of the Swiss hostage are currently still unclear.

"The information about the killing was obtained by the French authorities from the recently released French hostage," the ministry said. The ministry said it is trying to find out more about the circumstances of the killing and the whereabouts of the remains.

Swiss media reported that the hostage was a Christian missionary from the northwestern city of Basel.