France says two security advisers seized in Somalia

PARIS (Reuters) - Two French officials working as security advisers to the Somali government have been kidnapped in Mogadishu, the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

The statement said the men were on an "official mission" when they were seized by a group of armed men. "They were providing help in security matters to the transitional federal government of President Sheikh Sharif," it added.

Earlier, witnesses in Somalia said gunmen had stormed into a Mogadishu hotel and kidnapped two Frenchmen who had said they were journalists.

(Reporting by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Louise Ireland)