French stage military operations in Mali, Somalia

At least two French soldiers have been killed in two separate military actions in Africa over the past 24 hours. One pilot was killed as French forces supported the fight against Islamist rebels in Mali, and a soldier was killed in a failed hostage rescue in Somalia. Another soldier was reported captured in the raid. The French intelligence agent code-named Denis Allex had been seized in Mogadishu in July of 2009. He was reportedly killed by his captors as French commandoes attempted to rescue him on Saturday morning. France’s Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the raid had been carefully planned, but had always been considered “very dangerous.” He said the commandoes faced “strong resistance” and that in addition to French losses, at least 17 Islamists were killed. Le Drian said the operation in Somalia was unrelated to the overnight French offensive against the Islamist rebels in Mali who control the northern half of the country. French forces on Saturday continued air strikes against Islamist rebels in Mali and sent troops to protect the capital. A French helicopter pilot was killed on Friday in an intervention which the French Defense Minister said was aimed at “stopping a terrorist state from forming at the doorstep of France and Europe.”

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