The Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), an al Qaeda splinter group, offered to swap a kidnapped Algerian diplomat for three Islamist fighters being held in Algeria. Presidential advisor Kamal Rezzag Bara refused the offer, saying that Algeria does not negotiate with or make concessions to terrorists. MUJAO kidnapped seven Algerian consular staff members in Mali in April 2012; one has been killed, three have been released, and three are still being held captive.
