BAMAKO: Two French soldiers have been killed in northern Mali and a dozen other people, including several other French troops, have been wounded after a car bomb ploughed into a patrol in the town of Gao on Sunday, Mali’s defense ministry spokesman said.
“I confirm that it was a car bomb that drove into a joint Barkhane/Malian army patrol,” Boubacar Diallo told Reuters. “For now there are two dead among Barkhane (French forces), a dozen wounded, including four to eight from Barkhane.”
One local source said a car bomb was detonated targeting a French and Malian patrol which them came under fire. France’s regional Barkhane force confirmed there had been an incident in Gao, but declined to give details.
“There were several wounded among the French soldiers who were in two vehicles that were completely destroyed by the explosion. They were evacuated to their base,” a local army source said.
