France announced on Tuesday its first troop losses in Central African Republic’s capital since a military operation began last week in the African country.

France announced on Tuesday its first troop losses in Central African Republic's capital since a military operation began last week in the African country.The presidency said in a statement that two paratroopers were killed as they were on a night patrol near the airport.

"With much sadness, the president learned of the deaths in combat of two French soldiers last night in Bangui," French President Francois Hollande's office said in a statement.

"The president expresses his profound respect for the sacrifice of these two soldiers and renews his full confidence in the French forces committed -- alongside African forces -- to restoring security in the Central African Republic, to protecting the people and guaranteeing access to humanitarian aid."

France has deployed 1,600 soldiers to its notoriously unstable former colony, a resource-rich but impoverished nation that was plunged into chaos after extremists seized power in a March coup.

The troops are part of a UN-mandated effort, with the African Union also due to beef up an existing peacekeeping mission to 6,000 men.
On Monday, they began disarming fighters in Central Africa after a wave of sectarian violence in the capital left nearly 400 people dead.