French and Malian forces moving into far eastern Mali clashed with jihadist fighters in a spontaneous gunbattle on Wednesday, March 6, leaving a French soldier and about 10 insurgents dead, a French military spokesman said, according to The Associated Press.

The skirmish about 100 kilometers (60 miles) east of Gao, northeast Mali's largest town, marked the latest bloodshed since French forces swooped into the West African nation in January to help its embattled government root out extremist fighters. Mali's regional allies have since contributed hundreds of troops in a support role.

Col. Thierry Burkhard, a French military spokesman, said the battle came as a military patrol involving troops from France, Mali, and Niger was extending into a previously uncontrolled territory. Four Malian soldiers were also injured.

About 20 French troops were in the patrol led by about 200 Malian soldiers, who drew support from a patrol of Mirage fighter jets and French helicopter gunships, Burkhard said. Sporadic clashes have been common in the area in recent days, he added.

With Wednesday's death of the soldier from an artillery regiment, France has now lost four soldiers since its military operation began Jan 11. The goal of the intervention has been to help Mali's weak government take back the country's vast north from al-Qaida-backed fighters who had seized power and imposed harsh Islamic rule for 10 months.