A French soldier was killed in a suicide bombing in northern Mali, where local and foreign troops have struggled to restore order after quelling an Islamist insurgency last year, officials said, reports Reuters.
The Foreign Legion soldier, the ninth to die since France intervened in its former colony in January 2013, died from wounds after coming under attack about 100 km (64 miles) north of the city of Gao on Monday, the defence ministry said.
France's intervention in the African country halted the advance of al Qaeda-linked Islamists who had taken advantage of a Tuareg separatist uprising to occupy swathes of land in the north.
France and other Western powers feared the Islamists could further destabilise the region and use the country as a launchpad for foreign attacks.
Peace talks were due to begin between Mali government officials and Tuareg rebels in Algeria on Wednesday.
French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian was also set to travel to Mali on Wednesday and President François Hollande was due in the region later this week.
Read more of this report from Reuters.