Two French soldiers were killed when their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in northeastern Mali on Saturday, just days after three others died in similar fashion.
Their deaths brought to 50 the number of French soldiers killed in the West African nation since France first intervened in 2013 to help drive back jihadist forces, according to army staff.
President Emmanuel Macron “learnt with great sadness” of the deaths of Sergeant Yvonne Huynh and Brigadier Loic Risser in the Menaka region, his office said in a statement.
[#CEMA] « Je m'incline devant la mémoire du SGT Yvonne HUYNH et du BRI Loïc RISSER dont j'apprends avec une grande tristesse la mort pour la France, ce jour, au Mali. J'apporte tout mon soutien à leurs proches, leur camarade blessé et leurs frères d'armes. » #NotreDéfense pic.twitter.com/zscKiiAOIv
— Armée française – Opérations militaires (@EtatMajorFR) January 2, 2021
Read more…
Source: France24/Ministry of Defence, France/Twitter