Mali: 13 French Troops Killed as Helicopters Collide During a Combat Mission in Pursuit of Fleeing Militants

13 French troops were killed in the south of Delimane, le Liptako in Mali while conducting a combat mission in the ongoing Operation Barkhane, a six year mission against terrorist elements, French MOD reported. A Corporal, six NCOs and six other troopers were killed.

The troops on the ground were chasing fleeing militants when the helicopters which were providing support collided according to information recovered from the helicopter’s black boxes. An investigation is ongoing according to the MOD of France.

It marks the largest single loss of life since operations began in 2013 in Mali. 41 French troops have been killed since then …Euronews reports. The helicopters, a Tigre and a Cougar, collided as they provided air support to soldiers on the ground who were tracking militants.

The accident occurred 25 November when in the dead of night three helicopters and a squadron of Mirage jets arrived to support ground troops pursuing Islamist extremists in the Liptako region, near the borders of Burkina Faso and Niger, the defence ministry said, according to AFP.

The French MOD recorded the names of those who died:

Voici la liste des treize militaires morts pour la France :

Les capitaines MEGARD, GIREUD, FRISONROCHE, les lieutenants MORISSE, BOCKEL, l’adjudant-chef CARETTE, le brigadier-chef SALLES DE SAINT PAUL du 5e régiment d’hélicoptères de combat de Pau, le capitaine CHOMEL DE JARNIEU, le maréchal des logis-chef PROTIN, les maréchaux  des logis SERRE,  DUVAL du 4e régiment de chasseurs de Gap, le maréchal des logis- chef LEUSIE du 93e régiment d’artillerie de montagne de Varces et le sergent-chef JOUK du 2e régiment étranger de génie de Saint-Christol sont morts dans l’accomplissement de leur mission au sein de l’opération Barkhane.

For more detail and biographies of the soldiers who were killed, visit MOD France HERE