Five French nationals and two African nationals working for the nuclear company Areva and a subcontracter of the French construction company Vinci have been kidnapped from their companies staff compound in the northern town of Arlit. Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb-linked mercenaries are being blamed for the abductions. Taureg rebels have kidnapped French workers in the past and AQIM has pledged to step up their abductions of French nationals.
