PARIS, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Two French soldiers were killed on Wednesday morning during an operation in Mali, French President Emmanuel Macron's office announced.
The two servicemen from the 1st Spahis Regiment of Valencia died after their armored vehicle hit an improvised explosive device.
Macron expressed "deep respect to the sacrifice of this non-commissioned officer and soldier who fell in battle in the fulfillment of their mission against terrorism."
He also sent condolences to the victims's families and praised determination of French forces to continue their counter-terrorism mission in the Sahel, the statement said.
France with the support of African countries deployed 4,000 troops in the Sahel region in 2015 to combat extremist insurgents and restore security in the area.
