Silvia Romano returns to Italy today The premier: ‘Thanks to our intelligence services’
Silvia Romano , the 25-year-old volunteer released yesterday after being kidnapped on November 20, 2018 in Kenya, is expected at Ciampino at 2pm . Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio will be present.
“I was strong and I resisted. I’m fine and I can’t wait to go back to Italy”. These are the first words of Silvia, freed 30 kilometers from Mogadishu, in an intelligence operation taken last night.
Unicef Italia expresses “great joy for the release of Silvia Romano, after 18 months of anguish”. “Silvia represents the best part of our country, often invisible: an Italy that dedicates its life to others, that resists. Welcome back Silvia!”, Adds the president of Unicef Italy Francesco Samengo.
Silvia Romano had been kidnapped in Kenya 18 months ago – Silvia Romano, who worked as a cooperative in Kenya for the Marche non-profit organization Africa Milele, had been kidnapped on 20 November 2018 in the very poor village of Chacama, about eighty kilometers from the capital Nairobi.
Taken forcefully by a group of men armed with rifles and machetes. Local police had hypothesized an internal track, that is a kidnapping by common criminals for the purpose of extortion, perhaps also with the possibility that the girl was sold across the border, in Somalia, to the al Shabaab jihadists.
Three of the perpetrators of the blitz had been arrested and from the investigations carried out in Italy by the Rome prosecutor, it had in fact emerged that the girl may have been transferred to Somalia immediately after the kidnapping: a flash transfer organized by an Islamist group linked to Al -Shabaab who had provided the gang of Kenyan common criminals, perpetrators of the kidnapping, money and means.
This information had surfaced a year after the kidnapping last November, and nothing had leaked out since then.
As soon as she is in Italy, Silvia Romano will be heard by prosecutors in Rome who started an investigation into the case for kidnapping for terrorism purposes.
The volunteer is now safely in the compound of the international forces in Mogadishu . “She is well and in shape. Obviously tried by the state of captivity but she is well”. So the president of Copasir, Raffaele Volpi.
The operation of the Aise, directed by General Luciano Carta, was conducted with the collaboration of the Turkish and Somali services and took place last night. The operation took place in an area affected by the floods in the last few days.
It is “good news long awaited – explained Volpi -. Congratulations go to General Carta, to the men and women of the Aise who with their incessant work, never in the light of the limelight, have allowed this very important result. Thanks guys and welcome home Silvia “.
Mattarella: welcome back Silvia! Great joy of the Italians – “The news of Silvia Romano’s release is a source of great joy for all Italians. I send a greeting of affectionate solidarity to Silvia and her family members, who have suffered so many months of anguished waiting. I wish to express gratitude and congratulations to the men of the state who have constantly committed themselves, with determination and patience, amidst many difficulties, for his release Welcome back, Silvia! “. So the head of state, Sergio Mattarella.
The announcement made by Prime Minister Conte – “Silvia Romano has been released! I thank the women and men of our intelligence services. Silvia, we are waiting for you in Italy!”. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte wrote it on twitter.
Dad’s joy – “Now I just need to think, to reason, until I see it it doesn’t seem true to me, it’s a delicate moment”. Enzo Romano, the father of Silvia Romano, said it on the phone. “Happiness is so great that it bursts – he added – I don’t care about anyone else, only to hug my daughter after 17 months”.
Political reactions – “I wanted to give you good news. Silvia Romano is free. The State leaves no one behind. A hug to her family. And thanks to our intelligence, in particular Aise, the Farnesina and all those who have worked”. This is what is underlined in a post on Fb, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio .
Many on social media are happy to comment on the news . “A piece of news that fills our hearts with joy: Silvia Romano is finally free! Thanks to those who silently worked to get Silvia back home” writes Nicola Fratoianni . “Emotion! #SilviaRomano is free” adds Giuseppe Civati who in recent months has often remembered Silvia Romano, as well as the Milanese councilor Pierfrancesco Maran who comments: “What a joy!”.
A “beautiful news”, his imprisonment “has always been a wound and a pain. Knowing that it has been freed fills with joy”. So the President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli .
Source:ansa.it/