Fresh footage with the Romanian kidnapped in Burkina Faso, Ghergut calls for authorities’ help

A fresh footage shows Romanian Iulian Ghergut having beard, speaking in French and mentioning the video was shot on September 21. The message is addressed to his family and to the Romanian government, calling for help. Ghergut says he is in good health and he thinks about his family, AFP informs, quoted by Romanian media.

Iulian Ghergut was kidnapped on April 4, 2015 in Burkina Faso by the al-Mourabitoune terrorist group.

The video was made public by SITE, a US centre for monitoring the Jihadist websites.

MAE conducts checks

The Romanian Foreign Ministry (MAE) informs it has taken notice of footage on October 31, 2016. “Currently we are conducting checks on the authenticity of the footage,” MAE informs.

“The inter-institutional crisis cell underscores that the launching of such a message in public space is part of the usual pattern for such situations. The crisis cell works permanently to manage the situation,” MAE informs in a release.

The crisis cell includes MAE, the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI), the Romanian Foreign Intelligence Service (SIE), MoD and the Presidential Administration and has been set up on April 4.

The first video footage, lasting less than a minute, was released after the Romanian’s kidnapping on April 4, 2015 near manganese mine in Tambao.

Al-Mourabitoune terrorist group released a video recording in August 2015 with Romanian hostage Iulian Ghergut, a security guard abducted in northern Burkina Faso on April 4, calling for the authorities to negotiate with the kidnappers for his release.

photo source: SITE