Ouagadougou: An elderly Australian woman kidnapped by Al-Qaeda-linked jihadists in Burkina Faso has been released and efforts are underway to secure the release of her husband, officials said.

Jocelyn Elliott, 84, and her husband, doctor Ken Elliott, 82, from Perth in Western Australia, were abducted on the night of 15-16 January.

Burkinabe Foreign Minister Alpha Barry said Jocelyn Elliott was released Saturday in neighbouring Niger.

‘She arrived without problems in Niger. She was received by Niger’s President Issoufou Mahamadou,’ Barry told AFP.

‘She was released thanks to the action of President Issoufou,’ he said, adding that discussions were ongoing with the Niger authorities on her return to Burkina Faso.

Barry said efforts were underway to secure the release of Ken Elliott.

‘For now we know that her husband is alive and well. Now further negotiations will begin for his release and we will do everything to secure it,’ said Barry.

The diplomat said ‘no ransom was paid or conditions imposed’ by the kidnappers for the release of the hostage.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull Sunday thanked Niger and Burkina Faso for their efforts.

‘I can confirm that our Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, who’s been closely on top of this situation, has been speaking with the Elliott family in Australia, spoke to Mrs Elliott just a little while ago,’ he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Sunday morning.

Turnbull would not comment on the doctor’s situation, saying ‘we’re dealing with a difficult diplomatic situation and the Burkina Faso government is working very well on it and we’ll continue to stay in touch with them’.

The Elliotts had moved to the impoverished west African nation in 1972 and ran a clinic in the dusty town of Djibo, close to the border with Mali.

The Burkina government had said the pair were kidnapped in Baraboule, near the country’s borders with Niger and Mali.

It had coincided with a jihadist assault on an upmarket hotel in Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou that left at least 30 people dead, including many foreigners.

The abduction has caused an outpouring of support, with the people of Djibo turning to Facebook to plead for the couple’s release.