An Antonov cargo plane that crashed off Ivory Coast Saturday, killing four, was chartered by the French army as part of the anti-jihadist Operation Barkhane, military sources said.

The four dead are Moldovan and six other people, including French nationals, were injured in the crash of the aircraft which had 10 people on board, Colonel Issa Sakho, an Ivorian firefighter, told local television.

A French military source said the Antonov was chartered as part of Barkhane, under which France maintains a 4,000-man mission in the region.

The operation aims to shore up fragile Sahel countries against jihadists who have carried out a wave of bloody bombings, shootings and kidnappings.

The French military base in Abidjan provides logistical support for the operation which is headquartered in N'Djamena, the capital of Chad.

Source: AFP