* France tried to rescue hostage on Saturday * Rebels say killing was to avenge Mali offensive * Execution carried out on Jan. 16, rebels say By Feisal Omar MOGADISHU, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Somali militants linked to al Qaeda said on Thursday they had executed a French agent who French commandos had tried but failed to rescue at the weekend. Al Shabaab rebels have said the death sentence imposed on Denis Allex was to avenge what it called France's growing persecution of Muslims and its military operations around the world against Islamists, including in Mali. The kidnapping of dozens of hostages at a gas plant in Algeria by Islamist fighters on Wednesday and al Shabaab's execution

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