France Warned Not To Attempt Hostage Rescue

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has warned France not to try rescuing the five French nationals who were abducted by militants in Niger, as Paris mobilizes its troops to rescue them.

A statement issued on a jihadi website said that kidnappings were part of reprisal against France, as promised by AQIM's head Abu Musab Abdul Wadud. AQIM has regularly issued threats against French citizens following a deadly Sahara assault that was carried out to rescue a French hostage named Michel Germaneauin in July and left seven members of the group dead.

AQIM later claimed that the seventy eight year old has been killed to avenge the raid and vowed further retaliation against France. The five French citizens were kidnapped on Sep 16 in an assault on French companies operating in uranium fields in Niger.

Paris believes that they are alive and being held in a remote place in Mali. French President Nicolas Sarkozy has vowed to take all necessary measures to secure the release of French hostages.

According to US officials, Paris has asked the US for assistance in fighting militants. France didn't confirm if the US troops are part of any operation, but said that it is working in conjunction with all governments to put an end to terrorism in the region.

Many states in West and North Africa including Algeria, Mali, Mauritania and Niger were formerly under French control, and French military trainers are still working there alongside some local troops. AQIM has accused the Western companies operating in the region of stealing local wealth and exploiting local people and declared them as legitimate targets for militants.