CAR rebel chief freed from jail after abducted Polish priest released

An undated photo released on April 5, 2013 by the Central African People's Democratic Front shows their leader Abdoulaye Miskine standing with fighters in Biti. By (FDPC/AFP/File)

Brazzaville (AFP) - A Central African Republic rebel chief has been freed from prison in Cameroon, officials said Thursday, shortly after militants loyal to him released a Polish priest they had taken hostage.

The timing of the release of rebel chief Abdoulaye Miskine seemed to indicate it was linked to talks to free Polish priest Mateusz Dziedzic, but authorities had not confirmed this.

Those behind Dziedzic's October 12 kidnapping in western Central African Republic were said to have demanded the release of their leader.

Miskine appeared before journalists Thursday night at the airport in the Congolese capital Brazzaville following his release, with Roman Catholic priest Dziedzic also present.

Both men were to meet Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso, who has served as mediator in the crisis in the Central African Republic. The three countries share a border.

"I am proud to be free," Miskine told journalists. "I am praying a lot that peace returns to the CAR."

Miskine appeared free to move around, but it was not clear if he would be allowed to leave the Congo. Dziedzic is expected to return home to Poland as soon as possible.

"I am happy to be free as it is something extraordinary," Dziedzic said. "I was in detention for six weeks. I was treated well and was respected."

He added that he "knew that the Congolese president worked for our freedom."

A statement from Cameroon's presidency on Wednesday said an operation by the country's security forces had led to the release of Dziedzic and 15 Cameroonian hostages kidnapped in September and October by "a Central African armed group". They were freed Tuesday night.

However, Poland has said Dziedzic was let go following negotiations involving several countries and international organisations.

Warsaw has singled out the role of France, which is CAR's former colonial power and has troops deployed in the country in a bid to stem ethnic and sectarian violence there.

The priest from the Polish town of Tarnow had been living in Baboua, in western CAR, when he was kidnapped at night by armed men.

The men had said they wanted to trade him for one of their leaders detained in Cameroon, according to the Polish branch of the Vatican's Pontifical Mission Societies.

The Polish foreign ministry said at the time that the kidnappers were working for Miskine -- a former ally of the Seleka, a mainly Muslim rebel coalition that held power in Bangui from March to December 2013.

Miskine was arrested last year on the border between Cameroon and the CAR and detained in Cameroon.

His group was involved in kidnappings, and in May the United States imposed sanctions against him and four others from the Central African Republic.