UPDATE 5-French rescue fails, two hostages killed in Niger

Sat Jan 8, 2011 10:13pm GMT

[-] Text [+]

* French forces joined chase for kidnappers

* Second failed French hostage rescue in region

* Analyst sees hallmark of al Qaeda in kidnap

(Updates with military spokesman)

By Abdoulaye Massalatchi and John Irish

NIAMEY/PARIS, Jan 8 (Reuters) - France said two of its nationals were found dead, apparently executed by their kidnappers, after French special forces joined a failed attempt to rescue them on Saturday in the African state of Niger.

It was the second abortive French hostage rescue since July in the arid Sahel region where Paris says it is at war with al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the North African arm of Osama bin Laden's network.

"At this stage, everything makes us believe that they were executed by the terrorists," Armed Forces spokesman Thierry Burkhard said. Continued...

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