French-Australian man kidnapped in Chad

Chad's government spokesman, Aziz Mahamat Saleh, said the kidnapped man is an environmentalist who manages an oryx park on behalf of the Sahara Conservation Fund (SCF).

"The government has mobilised all security and human means in order to get hold of the kidnappers and find (the man)," Saleh said in a statement.

France's foreign ministry was aware of the kidnapping of one of its citizens and was in contact with their family and Chadian authorities to obtain a rapid release, a ministry source said.

SCF declined to comment under advice from the French foreign ministry. Australia's mission in Chad could not be immediately reached.