German killed while resisting attackers day after two French nationals captured in same region of northern Mali
Unknown attackers have kidnapped three Europeans and killed a fourth in the historic northern town of Timbuktu.
The murder victim was German and had tried to resist the attackers. The nationality of the others was not known, a Malian government source said.
The attack came a day after two French nationals were kidnapped from their hotel in the same region, where local agents for al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb operate. They were kidnapped in the town of Hombori, close to the border with Burkina Faso.
The increased risk of kidnap, either by Islamists or by local gunmen co-operating with them, has made large parts of Mauritania, Mali and Niger no-go areas for westerners.
Timbuktu, founded 1,000 years ago and famous as a major trading centre for gold and salt, was one of the centres of a local tourist sector that has now all but ground to a halt.
Western nations led by France and the US are trying to improve regional co-operation, but efforts have been undermined by a lack of resources, regional rivalries and a degree of local complicity.