French trooper killed during operation: Elysee
08 August, 2012
PARIS: A French soldier was killed Tuesday in Afghanistan, bringing to 88 the total number of French troop died in the restless country since 2001, the presidency office said in a statement.
The Elysee Palace said that the a noncommissioned officer of the French 13th Chasseurs Alpine Chambery was killed during a military operation in the eastern Afghan province of Kapisa.
Another soldier was injured during the operation, it added.
"I hailed the courage and dedication of the French troops in Afghanistan, working daily for peace and stability in the country.
The withdrawal of our combat forces will be started and completed as planned by the end of this year," French president Francois Hollande said.
During a visit to Afghanistan on May 25, Hollande announced that the French combat force would be home by the end of this year, two years earlier than NATO's plan to pull out forces in 2014.
As part of France's withdrawal plan, French troops officially handed over the control of Afghan Uzbeen province to local forces last month.
More than 3,800 French troops have been stationed in Afghanistan within the framework of NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in the war-torn country.
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