Four French tourists were shot and killed by gunmen in Mauritania on Monday, police sources informed.

According to a police official, the five French nationals stopped on the side of the road near Aleg, 250 kilometres south-east of the country’s capital Nouakchott, before being attacked by three men armed with semi-automatic assault rifles.

All five tourists were members of the same family and were robbed at gunpoint by the attackers, police and witnesses said.

After the tourists handed over their money and valuables, the three gunmen opened fire. Two children were among those killed, while the father survived and was taken to a local hospital with severe injuries.

As Mauritanian security forces launched a manhunt for the assailants, French President Nicolas Sarkozy confirmed the “sad news” and offered his condolences.

The West African country is one of the poorest in the world, but remains a popular destination among French tourists.