Sahara Media in Mauritania has reported that it has received confirmation of the murder of two French journalists in Mali by Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).

The journalists were identified as Claude Verlon and Ghislaine Dupont who worked for Radio France International (RFI) owned by the French Government.

Sahara Media said a spokesman for Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) Abdelkrim al-Targui and also a senior figure in the group, called Sahara Media by a satellite phone to read a communique in indicating the killing of the journalists.

The communique said the killing was only a small part of the price French President Francois Hollande and his people would have to pay for this year’s military intervention, which drove out Islamist militants who had seized half the country

“The organization considers that this is the least price that President Francois Hollande and his people will pay for their new crusade, we have killed them and we will kill more” the statement said.

Ms Dupont, 57, and Mr. Verlon, 58, were kidnapped and shot dead on Saturday after interviewing a local leader in the northern town of Kidal.

The French government described the killing as a “calculated assassination” and President Francois Hollande said Paris was supporting the Malian government so that the murders did not go unpunished.

In March, the group announced it had killed another French hostage, Philippe Verdon, in response to France’s intervention in Mali. His body was found by French troops in July.

Last week, four other French hostages kidnapped by Islamists in neighboring Niger were released and they immediately went back to France.

Three of the four abductors had been identified by French intelligence and the military as Islamists from a Tuareg clan, after a document was found in a car abandoned at the scene.

Malian police officials said a number of suspects have been arrested in connection with the killing of the journalists.

But there no concrete intelligence information about the abductors as Malian Justice Minister, Mohamed Ali Bathily told the French channel BFM TV that analysis of mobile phone data indicates that some of the arrest they have made point to the fact that some of those arrested were in contact with Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

France has reduced its 3,200 forces to 1,000 but still shares security duties in Mali with 12,600 strong African and U.N. peacekeeping troops.

Issaka Adams / NationalTurk Africa News

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