In Mali, a clash of two helicopters killed 13 French troops, writes Le Monde with reference to the French authorities.

This happened in the Liptako region in the southeast of the country. Two helicopters collided: a combat Tigre and a transport NH90. Among the dead were six officers, six non-commissioned officers and a corporal.

These are the largest losses of the French army during the operation against the Malian militants since 2012. Le Monde reports that in recent years, about 30 soldiers have died there. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his gratitude to the fallen military and called « to honor their memory with the greatest respect. »

In Mali, there are approximately 4,500 French troops. Paris brought troops into the country in 2013 as part of Operation Barkhane to combat Islamic radicals. Other EU countries also have bases there, and France trains Malian personnel and supplies military equipment there.

source: lemonde.fr