PARIS, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- The French soldier reportedly missing in a rescue raid to free a hostage in Somalia was apparently killed by al-Qaeda-linked group, Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Monday.
"I confirm what I said before that everything leads us to believe that the hostage and missed soldier were killed," Le Drian told BFMTV news channel.
"Everything leads us to believe that the Shebab, unfortunately, also is preparing to organize a staging gruesome and outrageous with the bodies," he added after a meeting at the Elysee Palace.
Last Saturday, the minister said one soldier was killed and a second went missing during an operation to release a secret agent Denis Alex hold in Somalia by al-Shebab since 2009.
The soldier got wounded when the French commando attacked on Saturday the site in southern Somalia where they believed French hostage Alex had been held.
Earlier Monday morning, the French channel reported that Islamist al-Shebab announced the death of the wounded French soldier who reportedly disappeared in the rescue raid, citing source from a spokesman of the al-Shebab.
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