By Abdoulaye Massalatchi
NIAMEY (Reuters) - Seven foreigners, including five French nationals, were kidnapped in Niger's northern uranium mining zone on Thursday, officials said.
The kidnapping, which includes a French employee of nuclear company Areva and his wife, is likely to raise questions over security for mine workers in the region where groups linked to al Qaeda's North African wing operate.
The five others worked for Vinci, whose subsidiary Sogea-Satom is working as a contractor in the region.
The attack happened in the town of Arlit, the first in a recent wave of kidnappings to take place within the mining zone instead of in the remote desert such as previous hostage-takings over the past year.
"Five French citizens are seemingly in the group," Bernard Valero, a French Foreign Ministry spokesman, told Reuters television in Paris.
"(There have been) no demands for the moment, we will see what comes of that. That is where we are for now."
Areva and Vinci confirmed the overnight kidnapping in Arlit, a town that is used as a base for mining firms in Niger's north.
"Both groups are fully mobilised and are working closely with the Nigerien and French authorities to free the seven hostages," they said.
No further details were given on the nationality of the Sogea-Satom staff, but French media reported that they were from France, Togo and Madagascar.
A Nigerien security source said soldiers from the nearby Madawela military base were scouring the region for the missing foreigners.
Neither the French government nor the mining firms gave any details on how the group was seized or who was responsible, but a local businessman told Reuters the attack took place in the middle of town.
"They went to their houses and picked them. They knew exactly where they were -- it is very worrying," he said.
Tuareg rebels have previously been active in the region but attacks have died off since fighting eased last year.
However, the kidnapping of foreigners has become more frequent in West Africa's Sahara-Sahel region over the past year, with hostages usually ending up in the hands of groups linked to al Qaeda's North African wing.
Most hostages have been freed after demands, including the freeing of Islamist prisoners, are met. Although never officially confirmed, security sources say millions of dollars in ransoms are also paid to free hostages.
France has said it is at war with the group and pledged further military support to countries in the region after Islamists said in July they had executed a French citizen they were holding after a failed French-Mauritanian raid to free him.
(Additional reporting by Nicholas Vinocur; Writing by David Lewis; Editing by Alison Williams)
