Second French Barkhane soldier killed in four days in Mali

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Kévin Clément, a 21-year-old French legionnaire, was "killed in action" on Monday May 5 during an operation to fight against jihadist armed groups in Mali, said the French presidency. 

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Second human loss in four days in the ranks of the French force Barkhane in the Sahel. The soldier also belonged to the 1st foreign cavalry regiment of Carpiagne (Bouches-du-Rhône): Kévin Clément, 21 years old, had been in Mali since February. He was single and childless. His death brings to 43 the number of French soldiers killed in the Sahel since the start of the French intervention in 2013, according to a count made from figures published by the general staff.

President Emmanuel Macron " bows with deep respect before the soldier's sacrifice ," said the press release from the Presidential Palace of the Elysée Palace. " He would like to once again express his full confidence in the French soldiers deployed in the Sahel " as well as " France's support for the G5 Sahel countries " (Mali, Niger, Chad, Mauritania, Burkina Faso). “ This heavy price paid by the Foreign Legion does not undermine its determination or its effectiveness. It pursues its mission, like its Elders, "said Minister of Armies Florence Parly.

"Isolated terrorist elements"

The legionnaire was engaged " in an action of zonal harassment " and " of sweeping against the terrorist armed groups ", according to a press release from the general staff of the armies. " Taken at close range, the lead unit retaliated and put two jihadists out of action. During this fire action, the first class Kévin Clément, boarded in a light armored vehicle, was seriously wounded by an enemy fire , "he said. Wounded on the head, " he was evacuated by helicopter to the surgical antenna of Gao (north), where his death was observed ".

The staff specified that the intervention of a Reaper drone had then " made it possible to note that the tactical sub-group had been engaged in a combat encounter with isolated terrorist elements ".

Friday, the brigadier Dmytro Martynyouk, legionnaire of the same regiment, had himself succumbed to wounds inflicted on April 23 in Mali by the explosion of an improvised explosive device.

In recent weeks, the French army has stepped up the offensives in the Sahel, in particular in the area known as the " three borders " between Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, claiming the " neutralization " of several dozen jihadists in total since the beginning of the year.

Barkhane's workforce has recently increased from 4,500 to 5,100 soldiers. Paris hopes that this reinforcement will make it possible to reverse the balance of forces on the ground, where the jihadist groups have multiplied the attacks in recent months.

(AFP)

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