Abducted French Journalists Killed In Northern Mali

Two French journalists have been killed after they were kidnapped in the northern Mali town of Kidal, France's foreign ministry has confirmed.

The ministry said in a statement that Claude Verlon and Ghislaine Dupont, journalists for the French radio station RFI, "were found dead in Mali".

RFI earlier confirmed the pair were taken at 13:00 GMT by armed men in Kidal.

They had finished interviewing a local political leader when they were taken.

Ambeiry Ag Rhissa, a local official of the MNLA ethnic Tuareg separatist group, said they had been interviewing him.

"When they left, I heard a strange noise outside," he told Reuters news agency by telephone.

"I immediately went out to see and when I opened my door, a turbaned man pointed a gun at me and told me go back inside."

Sources said four men forced the journalists into a beige truck which was then driven off into the surrounding desert.

One report said the kidnappers' vehicle was being pursued by the security forces, possibly including the French army. A French attack helicopter was seen above Kidal a few hours after the abduction occurred.

The bodies of the two journalists were found some 12km (eight miles) outside Kidal, sources said.

"The French government, in conjunction with the Malian authorities, will make every effort to find out as soon as possible about the circumstances of their death," the French foreign ministry statement said.