Captors kill hostage in Somalia during French raid

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PARIS (AP) — France's defense minister says a French soldier is missing after an unsuccessful commando raid in Somalia to rescue an intelligence agent who was killed by his captors during the fighting.

Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Saturday that the mission had been planned carefully but was extremely dangerous. He said the hostage, code-named Denis Allex, and a French soldier were killed, as were 17 Islamists.

The ministry had earlier said two commandos were killed.

Le Drian said the operation in Somalia was unrelated to the French offensive in Mali to drive back Islamist militants. Allex was captured in July 2009 in Mogadishu, the Somali capital, in July 2009.

The Islamists have said they are holding the body of a French soldier.