After 2 unsuccessful operations in sahara by the mauritanian and french special forces to liberate the French hostage (78 years old with heart problems) at the Mali border, AQ in Magreb annonce his execution.

Otage d'Al-Qaïda: Nicolas Sarkozy confirme la mort de Michel Germaneau
http://fr.news.yahoo.com/3/20100726/...y-1be00ca.html
(sorry the link is in French but I believe you can find links in english)

Some are wondering if there is a change in French doctrine on hostage management. I believe there is a change of doctrine in the hostage taker (a change of nature) rather than a change of French doctrine.
AQ in Magreb has shown how courageous they are: they take hostage an old man with heart disease and treated him like ####.
But the problematic remains and is expending in this part of Africa.