Kidnapped French journalist Florence Aubenas, who has been missing in Iraq since Jan. 5, appeared on a video tape on Tuesday. (Photo: Xinhua/Reuters)

People holds the portrait of kidnapped French journalist Florence Aubenas. (Photo: AFP/Yahoo)

    BAGHDAD, March 1 (Xinhuanet) -- Kidnapped French journalist Florence Aubenas, who has been missing in Iraq since Jan. 5, appeared on a video tape on Tuesday.

    "My name is Florence Aubenas. I am French. I am a journalist with Liberation. Please help me. My health is very bad. I'm very bad psychologically also," the 43-year old senior war journalist made the appeal in the video tape aired by Qatar-based al-Jazeera TV channel.

    Looking desperate and tired, Aubenas appeared sitting against a red background, holding her legs to her chest.

    "This is urgent now. Help me! I ask especially Mr. Didier Julia,the French deputy. Please Mr. Julia. Help me! It's urgent. Mr. Julia, help me!"

    Julia, a French MP of French President Jacques Chirac's ruling UMP party, headed a failed mission to free other French reporters who were kidnapped in Iraq last September.

    The veteran war correspondent who worked for the left-leaning newspaper Liberation and her Iraqi translator had not been seen or heard from since they left a Baghdad hotel seven weeks ago.

    It was not possible to verify the tape's authenticity or when itwas made, but the pan-Arab channel has always aired videos purportedly from insurgents that launched attacks or kidnappings inIraq. Enditem