Italians and a Togolese have been kidnapped in Mali, according to reports.
An officer was quoted as claiming that the kidnappers were armed and in a vehicle.
Boakyewaa Lawrencia 
Two sources told the AFP news agency that three Italians and a Togolese national were kidnapped in south-eastern Mali.
The kidnappings took place at Koutiala, which is around 300 kilometers (190 miles) east of Bamako, the capital.
An officer was quoted as claiming that the kidnappers were armed and in a vehicle.
For several years, Mali and other countries in West Africa's vast Sahel area have been fighting lawlessness and Islamist extremist organizations.
More to come.....
