According to a statement from the French defence ministry, the soldier who was killed, Maxime Blasco, was part of a French unit deployed to a forested area near Mali's border with Burkina Faso, Reuters reported.
Their mission was to track down a suspected militant group that had earlier been spotted by a drone. The unit was supported by two attack helicopters and a surveillance drone, according to the statement.
Armed militants engaged the unit at close range and Blasco was shot by a sniper. The soldier quickly died from his wounds. The gunman who shot Blasco was killed, the ministry said.
ZZ/PR
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