Three French soldiers killed in anti-IS fight in LibyaJuly 20, 2016 - 17:21 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Three French soldiers who were carrying out "dangerous intelligence operations" in Libya have been killed in a helicopter accident, President Francois Hollande said Wednesday, July 20, according to AFP. The deaths provide the first confirmation that France has troops in the country where the Islamic State group has several bases. Hollande said Libya was experiencing "dangerous instability. "It's only a few hundred kilometres from Europe's shores. And at the moment we're carrying out dangerous intelligence operations," he said. "Three of our soldiers who were, in fact, involved in these operations have lost their lives in a helicopter accident." Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had earlier confirmed the deaths of three officers "who died while on mission in Libya" and praised their "courage and devotion", without giving details on the circumstances of their deaths, AFP says. France had previously said its warplanes were carrying out reconnaissance flights over Libya. But Paris has never confirmed reports that it has special forces on the ground in the country, as claimed by Le Monde daily and hinted at previously by the UN's envoy to Libya, Martin Kobler. Rival militias in the desert state have been vying for power since the overthrow of veteran dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011. The Islamic State group has taken advantage of the breakdown in central authority to establish a stronghold in the coastal city of Sirte. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel. Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. |