French soldier dies in an extremist attack in northern Mali
PARIS- A French soldier has been killed in an attack in northern Mali after a mine exploded as his armored vehicle passed by during a supply mission, French officials said Saturday.
The French Defense Ministry said the attack took place Friday afternoon northeast of the Malian town of Kidal and that Fabien Jacq, a 28-year-old staff sergeant with the French Barkhane force in the country, died overnight. The mine hit two French armored vehicles, wounding another French soldier.
The SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadist publications, said the Mali-based Ansar Dine extremist group claimed responsibility for the attack on Twitter and on Telegram, an encrypted messaging app popular among extremist groups.
