Two French journalists kidnapped in Mali found dead

BAMAKO, Mali – Two journalists with Radio France Internationale (RFI) who were kidnapped on Saturday, November 2 by armed men while working in Kidal in Mali’s far northeast were found dead on the same day, said the French foreign ministry.

RFI confirmed the kidnapping of its two journalists, identified as Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon.

“It was 1:00 pm local time when Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon were kidnapped by armed men. RFI has not had any news from them since,” the radio reported in its evening news broadcast.

“The two journalists were on a reporting assignment. Each had a recording device and they had an appointment at the Malian Solidarity Bank (BMS) of Kidal. They were abducted by gunmen who left the city with them,” said a Malian security source.

The town of Kidal, situated more than 1,500 km northeast of Bamako, near the Algerian border, is the traditional homeland of the Tuareg people and the birthplace of the Tuareg National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA).

Dupont, a specialist in African affairs who had been with RFI for several years, had previously been in Kidal to report on the presidential elections in July and August.

She had left Bamako for Kidal on Tuesday, October 29, for special reports on Mali due to be broadcast by RFI on November 7 and 8. – Rappler.com