( CNN ) French hostage Serge Lazarevic has been freed after being held for more than three years in Mali by al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb , French President Francois Hollande announced Tuesday . Lazarevic was captured on November 24 , 2011 , in Hombori in central Mali and subsequently held in the Sahel . His release means that there are no longer any French hostages held anywhere in the world , Hollande said in remarks broadcast by CNN 's French affiliate BFMTV . Lazarevic will travel to Niamey in Niger before heading on to France , Hollande said in a statement issued by his office . `` He is relatively healthy , despite the very harsh conditions of his long captivity . He will be quickly repatriated to France , '' the President said . No details have yet been given of how Lazarevic 's freedom was secured , but Hollande said discussions had been under way for months , with the involvement of authorities in Niger and Mali . Hollande thanked them for their help and said he shared in the joy of Lazarevic 's family at the news of his release . He also saluted the memory of Lazarevic 's fellow captive Philippe Verdon , who was abducted with him but slain by his captors several months ago . Lazarevic 's release , which comes only days after a failed U.S. military raid in Yemen ended with the deaths of two hostages held by al Qaeda , has prompted wide French media speculation that a prisoner swap was involved . The French consistently deny that they pay ransoms in hostage takings , but they have been remarkably successful at freeing hostages by nonmilitary means . Lawmaker Alain Marsaud , of the opposition UMP party , told BFMTV that he had no doubt that a ransom had been paid for Lazarevic through the freeing of prisoners held in Mali or Niger . `` There 's not one French person who believes for one instant that Mr. Lazarevic has been freed just to please Mr. Hollande , '' he said . Marsaud , a former anti-terrorism judge , said he preferred the French position to the American approach , which ends with hostages being assassinated . Lawmaker Bruno Le Roux , leader of the governing Socialist Party 's majority in the French National Assembly , was asked on BFMTV whether France had paid a ransom . He replied , `` I ... it is not the strategy of the French state to pay a ransom . But our strategy is to never abandon our hostages , and so to ensure that links with the local authorities are established , with all those who can help us in freeing them . '' It 's not the first time this year that France has welcomed home freed hostages . Four French journalists -- Nicolas Henin , Pierre Torres , Didier Francois and Edouard Elias -- were released in Syria in April , after being held for months by Islamist militants . French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius insisted that France had not paid a ransom , Radio France Internationale reported at the time . CNN 's Laura Akhoun , Jim Bittermann and Marion Lory in Paris contributed to this report .
Hostage 's release prompts speculation that the French may have done a deal . French hostage Serge Lazarevic is freed after being held by al Qaeda in Mali . TL;DR The U.S. and France are negotiating for the freedom of an American photojournalist who was kidnapped last month while covering Islamist rebels fighting to overthrow Mali's government. `` He is relatively healthy , despite the very harsh conditions of his long captivity , '' says Hollande .