Islamists in north Mali on Saturday freed 160 government soldiers who were captured during combat, the Islamist group Ansar Dine and authorities said. \"We have freed 160 Malian military prisoners. We began to gather them together yesterday. Today, they are in the hands\" of the Malian authorities, said Moussa Ag Hama, a member of Ansar Dine. An official in the Gao region confirmed the information.