France - yes, France! - Raids Al Qaeda

According the BBC, France raided an AQ hangout in West Africa. What they were after, and what role they actually played? Still a bit up in the air.

France has confirmed it took part in a raid against alleged al-Qaeda militants alongside Mauritanian troops.

France said it had provided "technical and logistical" support in the raid, in which several suspected militants were reportedly killed.

The group targeted has refused to negotiate over a French hostage kidnapped in the region in April, the French defence ministry said.

It said the raid was aimed at stopping an attack against Mauritania.

Spanish reports said a raid to free the hostage, Michel Germaneau, had failed.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) had threatened to kill Mr Germaneau.

It was not immediately clear where the raid had taken place, though Reuters news agency cited Malian officials saying that military aircraft had been coming and going and shots had been fired in the north of Mali.

By: Brant