Serge Lazarevic, a Frenchman who was kidnapped in northern Mali and was France's last hostage abroad, has been freed after being held by al Qaeda's North African wing for nearly three years.
The freeing of France's last hostage is a boost for President Francois Hollande but questions linger over a reported prisoner exchange and a possible ransom payment that led to Lazarevic being freed by the Sahara-based group.