French national kidnapped in Mali
AFP: French national kidnapped in Mali: officials
Armed men have kidnapped a French national in the northern Malian town of Menaka close to the border with Niger
"He was taken by three armed men who were wearing turbans," on Wednesday evening, a Menaka municipal counsellor told AFP. The news was confirmed by a regional government official in the provincial capital Gao.
"We are doing everything to find him," he said.
Pierre Kamatte, 61, was said to have been taken from outside his hotel on Wednesday.
Mr Kamatte was reportedly conducting research into malaria when he was seized.
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Details about the kidnapping of the French national which emerged Thursday suggest the action was planned out in advance, local officials said.
The fifty something man was jumped by armed men as he was leaving his hotel. The kidnappers waited till midnight as the power is usually cut at that hour to save electricity, they said.
"It's clear it was him they were after because his 4x4 car was left untouched by the kidnappers. It's still in the hotel courtyard," a local politician said.
Last week several humanitarian groups were reported to have pulled their expat employees from northern Mali following reports a botched kidnap attempt of westerners in a neighbouring country
Last edited by priffe; 28 Nov 2009 at 06:11.
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