Penny Wong says Perth doctor Kenneth Elliott is safe and well and has been reunited with family. -AAP Image
An elderly Australian doctor who's been held captive in West Africa for more than seven years has been released.
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Kenneth Elliott, 88, from Perth, is safe and well and has been reunited with his wife Jocelyn and their children, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong announced on Friday.
"We wish to express our thanks to God and all who have continued to pray for us," Dr Elliott's family said in a statement released by the minister's department.
"We express our relief that Dr Elliott is free and thank the Australian government and all who have been involved over time to secure his release.
"At 88 years of age, and after many years away from home, Dr Elliott now needs time and privacy to rest and rebuild strength.Â
"We thank you for your understanding and sympathy."
Dr Elliott and his wife were kidnapped by terrorists in January 2016 near the border with Mali and Niger, where they were running a medical clinic.
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