DHAKA: Two French soldiers were killed in combat in the Central African Republic, the French presidency says, reports BBC.

It says President Francois Hollande, who is now in the CAR, "learned with deep sadness" that the two had been killed overnight in the capital Bangui.

They are the first French deaths since France deployed 1,600 soldiers to the CAR last week in a UN-backed operation.

The CAR has been in chaos since rebel leader Michel Djotodia ousted President Francois Bozize in March.

Fuelled by ethnic rivalries, the conflict has also now become sectarian in nature as he installed himself as the first Muslim leader in the Christian-majority country sparking months of bloody clashes between rival Muslim and Christian fighters.

Claude Bartolone, speaker of France`s National Assembly, told reporters that the two paratroopers had been involved in a clash near Bangui airport.

Source: BBC

BDST: 0222 HRS, DEC 11, 2013