Thirteen French troops were killed in a midair collision between two helicopters in Mali on Monday night as they fought Islamic militants in the west African country.
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, expressed his “deep sadness” at the crash, stressing the “courage of the French soldiers” in what he called the “hard fight against terrorism” in west Africa’s Sahel region. It was the biggest loss of French troops in a single day since an attack in Beirut 36 years ago when 58 soldiers died.
The helicopters collided at low altitude as they swooped in at nightfall to support ground forces engaged in combat with militants.
