[ad_1]
- Two French soldiers have died in Mali.
- A third was injured when his vehicle struck an explosive device.
- Mali has recently suffered a military coup.
Two French soldiers from the Barkhane anti-Jihadist force in Mali were killed on Saturday when their armored vehicle struck an improvised explosive device, the French presidency said.
A third soldier was injured in the explosion in the Tessalit province of the north-eastern Kidal region, according to a statement.
READ | Malian opposition calls new protests against the government
President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to the two dead soldiers, members of a paratrooper regiment based in Tarbes, southwestern France, while repeating his call for a speedy transition to civilian rule by the military junta that took power last month.
Senior French politicians and military officials have expressed concern about the effect that last month’s military coup could have on the effectiveness of the fight against jihadists active in Mali and neighboring countries.
Swathes of Mali’s territory are beyond the control of central authorities and years of fighting have failed to stop an Islamist insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives since it emerged in 2012.
France has deployed more than 5,000 soldiers serving in its Barkhane anti-Jihadist force in West Africa.
According to the French army command, this latest incident brings to 45 the number of French soldiers who have died serving in the Sahel region since 2013.
In November 2019, France lost 13 soldiers in a single incident when two helicopters collided during an operation in Mali.
Did you know that you can comment on this article? Subscribe to News24 and add your voice to the conversation.
