Paris: Three French soldiers were killed on Monday when their armoured vehicle hit an explosive device during an operation in the Hombori region in Mali. The soldiers were involved in an operation against "Islamic" fighters in the southern region of Hombori.

French President Emmanuel Macron said he shared the pain of the soldiers' families and expressed his condolences. The president salute the martyrdom of the soldiers.  Some 5,000 French troops started Barkhane Operation in 2014 in the Sahel region to help the G5 Sahel countries -- Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger -- combat extremist insurgents. 

France has deployed 5,100 troops in Africa's Sahel region, including Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad, as part of Operation Barkhane, which began in 2014.

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