Two French 無線で通信する 新聞記者／雑誌記者s are 設立する dead in northern Mali hours after 存在 kidnapped by gunmen

• Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon were interviewing 分離主義者 leader
  
• Kidnapped by gunmen at 1pm today then 設立する 'riddled with 弾丸s'
  
• Days ago four Frenchmen held 人質 for three years returned to Paris
• Kidnappings in the 地域 have earned テロリストs an 概算の $89m
• French 大統領，／社長 Hollande 非難するs 'heinous 行為／法令／行動する' of テロ行為
  

By Peter Allen In Paris and Dan Bloom

Published: 18:44 BST, 2 November 2013 | Updated: 21:35 BST, 2 November 2013

Two French 新聞記者／雑誌記者s have been killed hours after 存在 kidnapped by 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd Al-Qaeda 反逆者／反逆するs in Mali.

French 大統領，／社長 Francois Hollande has 非難するd the 殺人，大当り of Ghislaine Dupont, 51, and Claude Verlon, 58, who were covering 選挙s in the volatile African 明言する／公表する.

Four gunmen struck at 1pm today in the northern town of Kidal, where the pair were seen 存在 beaten before they were driven away in a 4x4 好転 トラックで運ぶ.

Dead: The 団体／死体s of French 新聞記者／雑誌記者s Ghislaine Dupont, left, and Claude Verlon, 権利, were 設立する 'riddled with 弾丸s' today eight miles from Kidal, Mali, hours after they were kidnapped by 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd Al-Qaeda gunmen

The pair were beaten outside the home of a 分離主義者 leader. Pictured: 兵士s patrolling earlier this year

Both had been interviewing Ambeiry Ag Rhissa, from the Tuareg 分離主義者 group MNLA, on に代わって of 無線で通信する フラン International (RFI) and were kidnapped outside his house.

One source said their 団体／死体s were 設立する riddled with 弾丸s eight miles from the town, which was the birthplace of a violent 反乱 last year.

Another source said the pair's throats may have been 削減（する）.

Mr Rhissa said: 'When they left, I heard a strange noise outside. I すぐに went out to see and when I opened my door, a turbaned man pointed a gun at me and told me go 支援する inside.

'I could not see how many men were there.'

They had travelled to the town にもかかわらず 存在 警告するd not to by the French army, a defence 公式の／役人 said.

This week French 大統領 Francois Hollande, second from 権利, welcomed home four Frenchmen held 捕虜 for more than three years. From left, Marc Feret, Thierry Dol, Pierre Legrand and Daniel Larribe

French 大統領，／社長 Francois Hollande has 非難するd the 殺人，大当り, 説 in a 声明: 'The French 大統領，／社長 ... 表明するs his indignation over this heinous 行為／法令／行動する.'

Dupont was a 新聞記者／雑誌記者 '熱烈な about her 職業 and the African continent that she covered since joining RFI in 1986,' bosses at her 無線で通信する 駅／配置する said in a 声明.

Verlon was 'used to difficult 地形 throughout the world,' it 追加するd, and staff members 'are all in shock, profoundly saddened, indignant and angry'.

フラン opened a judicial 調査 into the kidnappings and deaths 'linked to a テロリスト 企業,' the 検察官，検事's office said.

The French Foreign 省 said 知能 services are joining with Malian 当局 to shed light on the circumstances of their deaths.

‘The kidnappers were 運動ing a Toyota 選ぶ-up,’ said 地元の 知事 Adama Kamissoko, who 追加するd that all were ひどく 武装した.

French 軍隊s 介入するd in Mali in January against an Al Qaeda 反逆者／反逆する army which 大統領 Francois Hollande 恐れるd was trying to take over the country.

Although the 軍隊 was 最初 re pelled, the 極端論者s have 再編成するd, and 激しい fighting is still taking place around the country.

Francois Hollande. A 声明 said: 'The French 大統領，／社長 表明するs his indignation over this heinous 行為／法令／行動する'

Last week four Frenchmen held 捕虜 by Al Qaeda テロリストs for more than three years arrived 支援する in Paris.

Pierre Legrand, 28, Thierry Dol, 32, Daniel Larribe, 62, and Marc Feret, 46 were all 逮捕（する）d in September 2010 during （警察の）手入れ，急襲s on a ウラン 地雷 近づく Arlit, northern Niger, where they were working for 核の 巨大（な） Areva.

The Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) group （人命などを）奪う，主張するd 責任／義務 and there were always 恐れるs that the 人質s would be killed.

There have been （人命などを）奪う，主張するs since then that フラン paid more than £17m for the 人質 解放（する）, although Mr Hollande 熱心に 否定するd this, 主張するing that his country does not 交渉する with Al-Qaeda.

Mr Hollande 開始する，打ち上げるd 空気／公表する strikes and sent hundreds of 兵士s into Mali in January to 運動 支援する Al Qaeda 反逆者／反逆するs, 説 they would use the West African country as a base for attacks on the west.

The 全世界の 知能 company Stratfor 見積（る）s that al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, has carried out at least 18 kidnappings since 2003, raising an 概算の $89m in 身代金 支払い（額）s.

There was no 初期の comment today from the 新聞記者／雑誌記者s’ 雇用者, RFI.