A plane carrying Spanish hostage Gilbert Navarro, who was kidnapped in North Africa on Jan. 17, was expected to land in Algeria's Boufarik air base, Algerian state media reported on Tuesday. His expected arrival at the Algerian air base comes after a Tuareg rebel alliance in northern Mali said late on Monday they had released Navarro.

Algerian authorities on Wednesday handed over freed Spanish hostage Gilbert Navarro to Spanish officials in a ceremony at the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Algiers.

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — A rebel alliance in Mali said Tuesday it has freed a Spanish man who was kidnapped in southern Algeria last week. The Azawad Liberation Front, or FLA, a coalition of separatist armed groups in Mali’s predominately Tuareg north, said on X that it freed Spanish citizen Gilbert Navarro.

Navarro was abducted last week while traveling in the area, known for ongoing instability and militant activity. His safe return was confirmed on Tuesday when Algerian national television aired footage of his arrival at a military airport near Algiers.

General Lounes Magramane (center), Spain's Ambassador to Algeria Fernando Morán Calvo-Sotelo (left), and Spanish tourist Navarro Giane Gilbert