Iran Press/Africa: The deaths of the French troops in Mali resulted from a collision between a 'Tigre' and a 'Cougar' helicopter, according to a statement from the head of the French armed forces.
The statement added that the helicopters had been called in as reinforcement to back up French soldiers who were tracking down militants in Mali, Reuters reported.
The statement provided no further details about the accident.
French defense minister Florence Parly said an investigation has been opened to determine the exact circumstances of the accident.
The helicopters, a Tigre and a Cougar, collided as they provided air support to soldiers on the ground that were tracking militants.
France has 4,500 troops stationed in Mali as a pretext to fight against ISIS.
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