40 Islamists killed in recent Mali operations

French soldiers have killed about 40 Islamist fighters, including some senior commanders, in Mali in recent weeks, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Thursday.

French soldiers have killed about 40 Islamist fighters, including some senior commanders, in Mali in recent weeks, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Thursday.

"We have conducted operations over the past weeks," Le Drian said, adding that "about 40" fighters had been killed including "Ould Hamaha, a historic leader of AQIM," or Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.