Paris: A French intelligence agent who was taken hostage in Somalia three years ago is still alive, French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has said.
According to Xinhua, the minister said in an interview to local broadcaster Europe 1 that there were new "proofs" and "news" that showed the agent of France's General Directorate for External Security, who was identified as Denis Allex, was alive.
Abducted in 2009 by the Al-Shabab outfit in Mogadishu, Allex was accused of helping train Somalia's police and presidential guards.
At least six French nationals are still being held hostage by Islamist groups in Somalia's Sahel region.
IANS
First Published: Saturday, July 14, 2012, 10:07