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Reporters abducted in Mogadishu Foreigners abducted in Mogadishu
(about 2 hours later)
Two journalists, believed to be French, have been kidnapped from a hotel in Somalia's capital city, Mogadishu. Two Europeans, believed to be French, have been kidnapped from a hotel in Somalia's capital Mogadishu.
About 10 gunmen disguised as government security forces snatched the men from a hotel in the south of the city.About 10 gunmen disguised as government security forces snatched the men from a hotel in the south of the city.
A BBC Somali Service journalist says African Union military officials are aware of the incident. It is not clear who the reporters work for. It is not clear who the men are. Some reports say they are journalists and other accounts claim they are security consultants.
Mogadishu has been in the middle of fierce on-off battles between pro-government forces and Islamist rebels. Islamist rebels are battling troops from the UN-backed interim government for control of Mogadishu.
The abductions took place at the Sahafi Hotel on Tuesday morning in a part of the Somali capital controlled by pro-government forces. The abductions took place at the Sahafi Hotel in a part of the Somali capital controlled by pro-government forces.
Rebels repelledRebels repelled
Gunmen wearing Somali police uniforms turned up at the guest house, seized the two reporters and took them in a vehicle towards a part of the city run by insurgents, said witnesses. Gunmen wearing Somali police uniforms turned up at the guest house, seized the two men and took them in a vehicle towards a part of the city run by insurgents, said witnesses.
"Two foreigners have been kidnapped this morning by a large group of gunmen," Somali police spokesman Mohamed Ali told the AFP news agency."Two foreigners have been kidnapped this morning by a large group of gunmen," Somali police spokesman Mohamed Ali told the AFP news agency.
A worker at the hotel told BBC Somali service that the two men were French journalists who were staying there. Hotel workers told the BBC Somali service that the two men had checked in to the hotel as French journalists.
The Sahafi Hotel has often accommodated foreign journalists and Somali government ministers.The Sahafi Hotel has often accommodated foreign journalists and Somali government ministers.
Analysts say Somalia is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for reporters. But a government official later told Reuters the Frenchmen had posed as journalists for their own protection.
"They were security consultants who arrived in Somalia to train state house security guards, not journalists," the official said.
The kidnappings come two days after government troops forced Islamist militants from positions around the presidential palace.The kidnappings come two days after government troops forced Islamist militants from positions around the presidential palace.
Some of the 4,300 African Union peacekeepers helped push back the insurgents. Some of the 4,300 African Union peacekeepers in Mogadishu helped push back the insurgents.
The radical rebel group al-Shabab and its allies have been trying to topple the fragile UN-backed interim government, led by moderate Islamist President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. The radical rebel group al-Shabab and its allies have been trying to topple the fragile interim government, led by moderate Islamist President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.