French forces killed or captured around 10 members of a jihadist movement in heavy fighting at the weekend in northern Mali, the French defence ministry has said.

 

The troops of France's Barkhane force engaged in a four-hour firefight overnight Saturday near Menaka against the Al-Qaeda-linked group Al-Murabitoun, the ministry said yesterday in a statement issued in Paris.

"Around 10 terrorists were neutralised," the statement said, adding that the French soldiers seized two pick-up trucks, a dozen motorbikes and "a large quantity of arms and explosives".