Silvia Romano, an aid worker based in East Africa, flew back home to Italy a day after being released by her abductors.
Romano was kidnapped 18 months ago. No group claimed responsibility for her abduction as authorities tried to locate and rescue her in vain.
The Italian, who was working for Africa Milele at the time of the kidnap, was found 30kms away from Mogadishu despite being kidnapped in Kenya’s southeastern region.
According to Lugi Di Maio, Italy’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Romano’s release was the work of the efforts put in by her country’s external intelligence agency.
The 24-year old Italian alighted from her special flight at around 2pm after it landed at the Ciampino Airport in Rome.
Masked men from the country’s intelligence agency escorted her from the plane. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and FM Di Maio were at the airport to receive her.