A midair collision of two helicopters killed 13 French soldiers on Monday night in Mali, French officials announced Tuesday morning, the deadliest single incident for the French Army in nearly four decades.
The soldiers were part of the 4,500-strong French force that has been in place in the Sahel region of West Africa since 2013 to combat the violent jihadism that has spread across the region, plaguing several countries. The choppers were flying at low altitude when the collision occurred. The crash left no survivors and all the soldiers were highly trained commandos and part of the elite force of the ground army, said French defense minister, Florence Parly. She said an inquiry had been ordered to investigate the incidence.
“The president announces with deep sadness the death of 13 French troops in Mali on the evening of Nov. 25, in an accident between their two helicopters during a combat mission against jihadists,” the statement on Tuesday said.
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