Malian journalists hold banners during a white march on November 4, 2013 in Bamako, in memory of Radio France Internationale (RFI) journalist Ghislaine Dupont (L) and sound technician Claude Verlon (R). (AFP)
The bodies of two French journalists who were shot dead in Mali arrived in Paris early on Tuesday, a source at the capital’s Charles de Gaulle airport said.
The Air France flight carrying the coffins with Ghislaine Dupont, 57, and Claude Verlon, 55, touched down just after 7:00 am (0600 GMT), the source said on condition of anonymity.
The two journalists working for Radio France Internationale (RFI) were kidnapped and killed by what French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius called “terrorist groups” in the flashpoint northeastern town of Kidal on Saturday.
“We will do everything to find the culprits,” Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita vowed as he met with members of the RFI management in the capital of the west African nation on Monday.
“Today even, we have opened a criminal investigation into the killings and tonight French investigators are expected here to work hand-in-hand with their Malian counterparts,” he added.
The victims’ bodies were flown to Bamako on Sunday night, where hundreds of Malian reporters and RFI colleagues marched through the streets in silent tribute.
“We organised this silent march to say ‘never again’ - the perpetrators of this crime must be punished,” said Makan Kone, president of the capital’s media association, the Bamako Press House.
