Media group concerned over kidnapping of French journalist in Mali

By Rodrigue Forku

YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AA) - The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said Wednesday that it is extremely concerned about the safety of French journalist Olivier Dubois who was kidnapped in northern Mali's Gao region.

CPJ’s African Program Coordinator Angela Quintal urged Malian and French authorities to thoroughly investigate Dubois' disappearance.

“Too often, the disappearance of a journalist is followed by tragedy and unanswered questions. We hope this is not the case here,” said Quintal.

Secretary-General of Reporters Without Borders Christophe Deloire said earlier Wednesday that a 21-second video showed Dubois claiming that he was kidnapped April 8 by Jama'at Nasr al‑Islam wal Muslimin -- a militant group active in the Maghreb and West Africa that was formed by the merger of Ansar Dine, the Macina Liberation Front, Al-Mourabitoun, and the Saharan branch of the Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

French authorities also confirmed Dubois' disappearance.

“We are in contact with his family as well as with the Malian authorities. We carry out the usual technical verifications,” said an unnamed Foreign Ministry official.

Dubois usually works for Le Point Afrique and Liberation.