Three French soldiers were killed when their vehicle hit an explosive device during an operation in Mali, French President Francois Hollande's office said on Wednesday.
They were deployed in Mali as part of a mission to ensure stability in the Sahel and fight terrorism, Xinhua cited the Elysee as saying in a statement.
Hollande sent condolences to the families of the victims and expressed his solidarity with them, it added.
Since 2013, 13 French soldiers have been killed in Mali as part of an operation to eradicate Islamist insurgents in the former French colony.