Somali militants 'will kill French hostage'

Somalia’s al-Qaida-linked militants said today that they will kill a French hostage they have held for more than three years in the wake of a botched rescue operation by the French military.

Al-Shabab said in a lengthy statement that they had decided to kill the French intelligence agent, whose code name is Denis Allex, in retaliation for the failed rescue operation early on Saturday.