Somalia Hostage Raid: French Agent 'Killed'

	Somalia Hostage Raid: French Agent 'Killed' Somalia Hostage Raid: French Agent 'Killed' France has said one of its soldiers and an intelligence agent have been killed in a failed hostage rescue attempt in Somalia. The agent, who is code-named Denis Allex and was captured by militants in 2009, died in the fighting with Islamists overnight, the French government said. However, the Al Shabaab militia is reported to have said he is still alive. Another special forces soldier is missing following the fighting, France's defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said. He said 17 Somali Islamists had been killed and that the operation was not linked to a separate military operation in Mali aimed at quashing a push by Islamist fighters. Al Shabaab has reportedly said Mr Allex remained in their captivity and was being held far from the base where French helicopters attacked in the early hours of Saturday. The al Qaeda-linked insurgents also said they were holding an injured French soldier. Both sides described a fierce firefight during the raid on the Horn of Africa country that French said was carried out by the intelligence agency that Mr Allex worked for. Sky's Middle East Correspondent Sam Kiley said questions remained about whether the raid was planned because France feared repercussions from its operation in Mali. He said: "It seems a long way away but ideologically - and, according to some intelligence agencies, physically - the Shabaab have been linked into a network of radical Islamist groups (in countries including Mali <b>...</b>	From: acworldnews Views: 1 0 ratings
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