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Kabul: French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Wednesday he had no regrets about sending 700 more troops to Afghanistan, after insurgents killed 10 French soldiers, the biggest single loss for foreign forces in combat since 2001.
The troops were killed in a major battle that erupted when Taliban insurgents ambushed a French patrol just 60 kilometres east of the Afghan capital on Monday. The fighting has heightened fears the militants are gradually closing in on Kabul itself.
"The best way of remaining faithful to your comrades is to continue the work, to lift your heads, to be professional," Sarkozy told French troops at a base on the outskirts of Kabul. "I don't have any doubt about that. We have to be here."
In a visit due to last just a few hours Sarkozy first paid his respects to the dead soldiers. He was due to visit the 21 wounded soldiers at a French hospital and hold talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, French officials said.
He was accompanied by Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, Defence Minister Herve Morin and the French armed forces chief, General Jean-Louis Georgelin.
Sarkozy said the work the troops were doing was vital.
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