French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said he deplored the loss of three soldiers on duty in Libya, without providing any further detail about the incident. President Francois Hollande confirmed the incident, saying that three French soldiers were killed in a helicopter accident in Libya during an intelligence gathering mission.

"At this moment we are carrying out dangerous intelligence operations [in Libya]," Hollande said in a speech. "Three of our soldiers, who were involved in these operations, have been killed in a helicopter accident."

Officials in Libya confirmed that a helicopter had crashed near the country's second-largest city, Benghazi. They added that Islamist fighters had shot it down, without specifying what particular Islamist movement might be involved. There also were conflicting reports on the nationalities of those who were on board the helicopter.

Spy missions in a failed state

Hollande's government spokesman, Stephane Le Foll, also acknowledged that French special forces were operating in the North African country at the time - despite no clear military or government mandate to be involved in the area. It was the first public confirmation of France sending troops to Libya. France had previously only admitted to conducting reconnaissance flights over the country.

Libya has gradually slid into chaos after the uprising that led to the ouster and killing of former President Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. Rival militias in the desert state have been vying for power ever since, with the so-called "Islamic State" group (IS) managing to establish a stronghold in the coastal city of Sirte.

Western powers have been backing Libya's UN-brokered unity government, hoping it will seek foreign support to combat Islamic State and address the refugee flow into Europe. However, spy activities on the ground may jeopardize those efforts or reveal ulterior motives behind Western support for the unity government.

ss/kms (Reuters, AP, AFP)