2nd May, 2020
A soldier serving in the French army on Saturday died after being injured in a bomb attack on a military vehicle in Mali, the Elysee Palace said.
According to the statement from the French Presidency, Dmytro Martynyouk, a member of the French Foreign Legion, died due to the injuries he sustained in an army hospital outside Paris.
The explosion, which occurred during an anti-terrorism operation in the West African nation, also injured another soldier, but not in critical condition.
France, the former colonial power in Mali, has stationed a 4,500-troops, tagged “Operation Barkhane“ in the region.
The troops’ focus is the troubled tri-border region where Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger meet. It serves as a refuge for Islamist extremists who regularly attack the civilian population.