Tuaregs and Mali come closer to reconciliation; some soldiers freed

From Agence France Presse:

Taureg rebels in northern Mali have agreed to free 10 of 36 soldiers they took hostage in August, a Malian official said Thursday in the wake of an announcement from the president's office.

"Ten of the 36 Malian hostages will be handed over on Friday from Algeria at an official ceremony in Tinzaoutene," in the Kidal region near Mali's northern desert border with Algeria, the official in a committee that monitors accords between the government and ex-rebels told AFP.

"The release of the other hostages will take place soon, thanks to mediation by Libya," added the official, who asked not to be named.