Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

French soldier killed in Mali militant clash

Published 24/09/2021, 22:06
Updated 24/09/2021, 22:11
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A French soldier stands guard in a watchtower at the Relay Desert Platform Camp (PfDR) during Operation Barkhane in Gossi, Mali, July 30, 2019. Picture taken July 30, 2019. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A French soldier stands guard in a watchtower at the Relay Desert Platform Camp (PfDR) during Operation Barkhane in Gossi, Mali, July 30, 2019. Picture taken July 30, 2019. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo

By Christian Lowe

PARIS (Reuters) - A French serviceman was killed early on Friday in a clash with an armed militant group in Mali, French officials said.

More than 50 French soldiers have died in the region since Paris deployed a counterterrorism force in 2013 to drive back Islamist militant groups that had seized cities and towns in northern Mali.

According to a statement from the French defence ministry, the soldier who was killed, Maxime Blasco, was part of a French unit deployed to a forested area near Mali's border with Burkina Faso.

Their mission was to track down a suspected militant group that had earlier been spotted by a drone. The unit was supported by two attack helicopters and a surveillance drone, according to the statement.

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A French soldier stands guard in a watchtower at the Relay Desert Platform Camp (PfDR) during Operation Barkhane in Gossi, Mali, July 30, 2019. Picture taken July 30, 2019. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo

Armed militants engaged the unit at close range and Blasco was shot by a sniper. The soldier quickly died from his wounds. The gunman who shot Blasco was killed, the ministry said.

French forces earlier this month said they had killed the leader of the West African affiliate of Islamic State in a drone strike in northern Mali.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.