Sarkozy heads to Afghanistan after 10 French troops killed
Updated
![French President Nicolas Sarkozy says France remains committed to Afghanistan despite a deadly Taliban attack on his troops. [Reuters]](http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/img/news/base/france_sarkozy_rtr_060507.jpg?<BR> "French President Nicolas Sarkozy says France remains committed to Afghanistan despite a deadly Taliban attack on his troops. [Reuters]")
French President Nicolas Sarkozy says France remains committed to Afghanistan despite a deadly Taliban attack on his troops. [Reuters]
French President Nicolas Sarkozy is ready to fly to Afghanistan after 10 French soldiers were killed in a clash with Taliban insurgents, saying France remains committed to the mission there.
The soldiers, from three elite paratroop and marine regiments, were killed in a fierce battle in the Sarobi district.
The French soldiers were killed in an ambush by a group of 100 Taliban insurgents near the Afghan capital Kabul.
At least 20 soldiers were wounded in the battle which started on Monday and continued throughout Tuesday.
A French presidency source said the soldiers were attacked as other NATO troops thwarted a mass Taliban suicide attack on a US military base 50 kilometres east of Kabul.
It was the second such attack on an international facility in as many days.
NATO forces have reported killing more than 10 Taliban insurgents.
The ambush is the latest in a series of deadly attacks by the Taliban near Kabul.
