Two Emiratis and an Iranian were kidnapped in Mali over the past week by "unidentified armed individuals", the government said on Thursday.

The trio was abducted from a farm belonging to one of them near the capital Bamako, the government said.

It was not immediately clear who was behind the kidnappings.

Condemning the abductions "in the strongest possible terms", Mali's government said that "all appropriate measures have been taken, in close collaboration with the relevant partners, to achieve the release of the hostages."

Emiratis from Dubai

A Malian security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP that a search was under way and that the two Emiratis were from Dubai.

The incident, he said, occurred some 50 kilometres from Bamako, which was also confirmed by a Mali elected official.