The Local France

Frenchman, Brit gunned down at Somali airport

Mon, 07 Apr 2014 15:51:00 +0200

A Frenchman and a British national working with the United Nations were shot and killed at a Somali airport on Monday by a man wearing a police uniform, AFP reported.

Somali militants 'to execute' French agent

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 09:48:00 +0100

Somali Islamists said on Wednesday they have decided to execute the French intelligence officer they have held for more than three years and who was the object Saturday of a botched rescue bid.

Somali rebels post pic of 'slain French commando'

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 16:31:42 +0100

Somalia's Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab militants on Monday posted a picture on their Twitter account of an alleged French commando chief killed in a botched hostage rescue operation.

Soldier and hostage killed in failed rescue bid

Sat, 12 Jan 2013 12:36:00 +0100

At least one French soldier died and 17 Islamists were killed in a failed bid to free a French hostage held in southern Somalia since 2009, the French defence minister said Saturday.

French hostage pleads to Hollande for release

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 11:50:00 +0200

A French secret agent held hostage in Somalia urged President Francois Hollande to negotiate his release in a video shot by his Islamist militia captors, a US monitoring group said Thursday.

Somalis on trial in France for yacht hijacking

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 11:35:00 +0100

Six Somali men accused of taking a French couple hostage on their yacht went on trial in Paris on Tuesday in France's first prosecution of alleged Somali pirates.

Kidnappers demand cash for Frenchwoman's body

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:10:00 +0200

The Somali kidnappers of disabled Frenchwoman Marie Dedieu, who died after being snatched from her home in Kenya, are demanding a ransom for the return of her body, France's defence minister said on Thursday.

France confirms death of kidnapped woman

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 15:32:00 +0200

Marie Dedieu, 66, a handicapped Frenchwoman who was kidnapped from her beachfront Kenyan home and taken to neighbouring Somalia has died, the French government confirmed on Wednesday.

Kenya arrests 7 over Frenchwoman kidnap

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 18:26:00 +0200

Kenyan police said on Thursday they had arrested seven people over the kidnapping of a disabled Frenchwoman seized from her beachfront home at a prized resort island and taken to neighbouring Somalia.

Race against time for release of Frenchwoman

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 16:36:00 +0200

Kenyan police beefed up security on Tuesday as efforts continued to obtain the release of a disabled
Frenchwoman dependent on regular medication who was snatched by gunmen from her beachfront home.

Disabled French woman abducted in Kenya

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 00:19:00 +0200

Kenyan authorities on Sunday were trying to establish contact with gunmen who seized a disabled French woman from her home in a prized Kenyan beach resort and took her to Somalia, officials said.