A French military car in Burkina Faso, close to the Malian border (archives). – MICHELE CATTANI / AFP
A soldier from the French Barkhane pressure within the Sahel was killed and two troopers had been wounded Thursday morning in Mali “during the fighting against armed terrorist groups”, introduced the Elysee and the French military.
The soldier of the first Tarbes Parachute Hussar Regiment Tojohasina Razafintsalama was killed when “his armored vehicle jumped in contact with a suicide vehicle loaded with explosives”, specified the Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly.
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Two different wounded troopers
Throughout the explosion, two different troopers constituting the crew of the sunshine armored car, which was on a reconnaissance mission, had been additionally injured and evacuated in critical situation to the army hospital in Gao earlier than being repatriated within the night. , the workers informed AFP. The hanging befell within the area of Gossi, 150 km west of Gao.
After the assault, “the unit in contact immediately engaged in combat. At the same time, two Tiger helicopters, then a Reaper drone, were deployed to support the elements on the ground,” the state stated. main of the armies.
Loss of life “in the service of France”
President Emmanuel Macron “bows with deep respect to the sacrifice of this soldier, who died in the accomplishment of his mission in the service of France,” stated the Elysee. “He salutes the commitment, courage and determination of our soldiers deployed in the Sahel and renews their complete confidence in them for the success of their mission.”
Tojohasina Razafintsalama was born on October 20, 1994 in Mahazarivo, Madagascar. This childless bachelor joined the first Hussar Parachute Regiment of Tarbes in 2018 and was deployed in Mali on July 14.
The three borders space
His demise brings to 43 the variety of French troopers killed in fight in operations Serval (2013) and Barkhane (since 2014), based on the final workers. It comes after that, originally of Could, of two legionnaires of the French pressure Barkhane within the Sahel, which counts some 5,000 troopers. In November 2019, France had misplaced 13 troopers in an accident between two helicopters in operation in Mali.
In current months, the French military and people of the G5 Sahel nations have stepped up offensives within the Sahel, particularly within the space generally known as the “three borders” between Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. They demanded the “neutralization” of a number of dozen jihadists in complete, together with the emir of al-Qaeda within the Islamic Maghreb (Aqmi), the Algerian Abdelmalek Droukdal, in June.
An enemy “at bay”
“We have an enemy who is on the retreat, who is at bay and who is weakened but we are never safe. He is still capable of striking blows. The fight continues,” stated Colonel Frédéric Barbry , spokesperson for the workers.
The leaders of the G5 Sahel and Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed their dedication to proceed the battle at a summit in Nouakchott on June 30, which adopted the one organized in Pau in January.