Operation Barkhane, Mali. – Christophe Petit Tesson / AP / SIPA
It’s a dark week for the French military forces present at Mali . Two French soldiers were killed and a third wounded on Saturday in the northeast of the country in an improvised explosive device attack, the French presidency announced. This tragic event occurs after the death of three
soldiers French in similar circumstances Monday.
Two soldiers of the 2nd regiment Hussars of Haguenau died for France in the performance of their duty in Mali. The President of the Republic shares the pain of their families, their relatives and their brothers in arms.
https://t.co/O9esDYH 310 – Élysée (@Elysee) January 2, 2021
The President
Emmanuel Macron “learned with great sadness” of the death in the Ménaka region of “two soldiers of the 2nd Hussar Regiment of Haguenau, Sergeant Yvonne Huynh and Brigadier Loïc Risser”, according to a statement of the presidential palace of the Elysee. “Their vehicle was the object of an improvised explosive device attack during an intelligence mission.” The days of their wounded comrade are not in danger.
33 French soldiers fallen since 420 In the region
Yvonne Huynh, who had 33 years , is the first woman of the French army killed in the Sahel since the Serval intervention in 420. Loïc Risser had 20 years. Both were engaged in a regiment specializing in intelligence. These two deaths relate to 33 the number of French soldiers killed in Sahel since 420 in the anti-jihadist operations Serval then Barkhane, specified the army staff. Emmanuel Macron greeted the memory of the two soldiers, “died for France in the performance of their duty “. He also reaffirmed “France’s determination in its fight against terrorism”. The Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly, for her part, paid tribute “to the strength of their commitment, their courage and their self-sacrifice”.