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| Mali gunmen seize French national | Mali gunmen seize French national |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A French national has been kidnapped in the northern Mali town of Menaka by armed gunmen, officials say. | A French national has been kidnapped in the northern Mali town of Menaka by armed gunmen, officials say. |
| The man, whose identity has not yet been confirmed, was said to have been taken on Wednesday. | The man, whose identity has not yet been confirmed, was said to have been taken on Wednesday. |
| The UK recently warned its nationals not to visit northern Mali because of the threat of attack by the North African branch of al-Qaeda. | The UK recently warned its nationals not to visit northern Mali because of the threat of attack by the North African branch of al-Qaeda. |
| The group has seized several Westerners for ransom in recent months- sometimes kidnapping them in foreign countries. | The group has seized several Westerners for ransom in recent months- sometimes kidnapping them in foreign countries. |
| An unnamed Menaka municipal counsellor told AFP news agency that the man, who was reportedly conducting research into malaria, had been "taken by three armed men who were were wearing turbans". | |
| The town is close to the border of Niger. | |
| Last week the French embassy in Mali had warned its citizens of the risk of kidnapping in desert regions, the Reuters news agency reported. | |
| In June British tourist Edwin Dyer was killed in Mali by militants. He had been kidnapped in Niger in six months earlier close to the border with Mali. | In June British tourist Edwin Dyer was killed in Mali by militants. He had been kidnapped in Niger in six months earlier close to the border with Mali. |
| Last month the US said it was preparing to give Mali's army millions of dollars worth of military hardware to help them fight al-Qaeda's North African branch. | Last month the US said it was preparing to give Mali's army millions of dollars worth of military hardware to help them fight al-Qaeda's North African branch. |