Two French soldiers wounded in clashes in Mali

PARIS, June 14 (UPI) -- Two French soldiers were wounded this week in clashes with Islamic militants in Mali, France's defense minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, said Friday.

Le Drian did not say where the clashes occurred in the West African country.

"There are still some incidents [in Mali], since this week there were two wounded among the French special forces," he told Radio France Internationale.

Le Drian said most of Mali has been pacified but "we have to be extremely vigilant about sporadic elements."

There are about 3,500 French troops in Mali. The number is to be reduced to 2,000 by the end of the summer and 1,000 by the end of the year, Le Drian said.