French soldier killed in Malian clashes

A French soldier and several "terrorists" were killed during a "serious clash" in northern Mali, French President Francois Hollande announced on Tuesday. Hollande, speaking during a visit to Athens, said the legionnaire from the Second Foreign Parachute Regiment died during an ongoing special forces operation in the mountainous Iforhas region. The news comes despite an earlier claim by Mali's Prime Minister Diango Cissoko, who claimed major military operations against Islamist rebels in the country were coming to an end. "The situation is much better than a few weeks ago. Large-scale military operations are coming to an end. What remains is to secure the liberated areas," he said after a meeting in Paris with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius. Source: AFP