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A South African man kidnapped by al-Qaeda militants in northern Mali more than three years ago, has appealed to the government to secure his release.
Stephen Malcolm McGowan and a Swedish man were taken captive by the militants in Timbuktu in November 2011.
In a video message seen on YouTube, McGowan and the Swede plead for assistance from their respective governments.
They were kidnapped weeks before the rebels took control of a northern region of Mali.
It's not clear when and where the video was recorded.
