French family kidnapped near Cameroon-Nigeria border

USPA News - A French family of seven members were kidnapped in northern Cameroon, officials said Tuesday. French President François Hollande, who is visiting Greece, confirmed the incident, saying a group of armed men kidnapped the family, including four children early Tuesday morning at around 7 a.m. local time at a village near the Waza national park.

The French Embassy in Cameroon also confirmed the incident, saying it occurred in northern Cameroon near the Nigerian border. French media said the children are aged four to eleven years old. The family reportedly lived in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon, but they were visiting the area when the group of gunmen who were traveling on motorcycles took them captive. Meanwhile, Hollande blamed the Islamic militant group Boko Haram, which has been behind several terrorist attacks in Nigeria, for the incident. In addition, the Embassy reiterated its advise to all French nationals to avoid Far North region, recommending only 30 kilometers (18.5 miles) from the Nigerian border.