Two journalists for French radio station RFI have been killed after they were kidnapped in the northern town of Kidal in Mali.
Claude Verlon and Ghislaine Dupont were abducted after interviewing a local political leader. Their bodies were found outside the town soon after.
French President Francois Hollande called the killings « despicable ».
The killings come days after France was celebrating the release of four hostages from neighbouring Niger.
‘Strange noise’
Radio France Internationale said Claude Verlon and Ghislaine Dupont were on their second assignment in Kidal, having travelled to the town in July to cover the first round of the presidential election.
Ambeiry Ag Rhissa, a local official of the MNLA ethnic Tuareg separatist group, said the pair had just left his house after interviewing him when they were kidnapped.
« I heard an unusual noise in the street, » he told France 24. « Their car was parked in front of my house, about 10m from the door.
« I went out to see what was happening. Once I got to the door, I saw a car, a pick-up, parked next to theirs. There was a man on the ground who had a weapon. He immediately pointed it at me and said: « Go back inside, go back in! »
« So I went in, and shortly afterwards they took off with the two journalists. They left in a great hurry. »
He said he did not see how many kidnappers were there, but other 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; a French attack helicopter was seen above Kidal a few hours after the abduction occurred.
A spokesman for France’s armed forces said its troops never had any visual or physical contact with the gunmen following the abduction.
Two helicopters flew over the area after a French patrol found the journalists’ bodies on a desert track some 10km (six miles) to the east of Kidal, Col Gilles Jarron said.
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