Freed by African rebels, Indian pilot on way home

After more than a week of captivity with African rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Indian pilot Syed Mazher will be back home with his family in Bangalore on Thursday.

After more than a week of captivity with African rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Indian pilot Syed Mazher will be back home with his family in Bangalore today.

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Syed Mazher, 25, who was serving as a co-pilot with a private airline, Goma Express, was taken hostage July 24 by Rwandan rebels after they attacked an airplane at an airstrip in Kitambe, about 25 km north of Walikale in DRC's North Kivu province.

The Indian government, through the Indian embassy in Kinshasa, had asked the Congo government to help in securing the release of the Indian pilot.

On Sunday, he was released by the rebels after negotiations with the DRC government. Two UN helicopters had picked up Syed Mazher from the remote area.

“He is flying home today on an Ethiopian airlines flight. He should be reaching home tomorrow,” said an official at the Indian embassy.