French solider killed in Mali

A French soldier was killed in Mali on Thursday morning when fighting against armed terrorist groups, the French Presidential office announced, reported Xinhua.

The soldier "was killed during the fighting against armed terrorist groups, when an improvised explosive device was triggered as his armored vehicle passed," said Elysee in a statement.

Since 2015, around 4,500 French troops have been sent to West Africa's Sahel region to help combat extremist fighters and restore security in the area.

Last November, 13 French soldiers were killed in a helicopter accident during an operation against jihadist militants in northern Mali.