The French in Afghanistan

[Rank amateur]

the French defense minister or both don't know that neither the French nor US SF have any tanks in-country...

Given the current penchant for reporters to call a Frigate a 'Battleship' this is not surprising.

Even if there had been tanks, why should anyone be afraid of them?

The Canadian tank article linked to here a while back said the Taliban were afraid of tanks. Canadian newspaper too. Darn Canadians are making me look bad.

French defence officials said about 100 soldiers - from France, the US and Afghanistan - were on a reconnaissance mission when bad road conditions forced them to stop their vehicles.

A group of French soldiers was sent ahead on foot to check the terrain, but they were ambushed by Taleban fighters and nine were killed.

A tenth French soldier was killed when his vehicle overturned on the road.

An Afghan intelligence officer told the BBC the troops had been ambushed from several directions.

"The Taleban and al-Qaeda forces used heavy machine guns and other weapons. They fired from mountains and gardens," he said.

The fighting went on for 24 hours and it is understood that reinforcements had to be called in to airlift the troops to safety.

They were VABs and the soldiers were out in front of the vehicles.