a French soldier killed in Mali

Brigadier Alexandre Martin was 24 years old. For three months, he had been assigned to the Barkhane mission, in Gao, the main French military base in Mali. Saturday, January 22, a little before 5 p.m., a dozen mortar shells fell on the camp. He was seriously injured, and died shortly afterwards. Nine other soldiers are more lightly affected. The source of the shots is identified: immediately a patrol of attack helicopters sets off, the position is neutralized.

In a press release, the Elysée salutes the memory of the soldier. “It is with very deep emotion that the President of the Republic learned of the death in Mali of Brigadier Alexandre Martin.” The military had spent his entire career with the 54th regiment infantry of Hyères (Var). 53 soldiers have been killed since France intervened in Mali eight years ago.