French soldier killed in bomb blast in Afghanistan

A French special forces soldier was killed and another seriously injured in a bomb blast overnight in southern Afghanistan, the French military said Sunday in Paris.

"A soldier was killed and another was seriously wounded by a bomb blast while their vehicle was passing in patrol in a mission 'Heracles'," the military said in a statement.

The French special forces participate in the US-led "Operation Enduring Freedom" to fight terrorism around the southern Afghan border town of Spin Boldak, one of the most dangerous regions of the country.

Many patrols are being carried out to ensure security for the parliamentary elections that took place over this weekend in Afghanistan, said the military.

France has some 200 soldiers in "Operation Enduring Freedom," in addition to 600 taking part in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which is run by the NATO around the Afghan capital of Kabul.

Source: Xinhua