100 Taliban fighters used mines, rockets and gunfire to stage a "complex" ambush of a French and Afghan convoy east of Kabul on Monday, killing 10 French soldiers. It was the worst combat-related loss of life for the French military since a suicide bombing in Lebanon in 1983.

The attack comes at a time when France is considering boosting its 3,000-strong contingent in eastern Afghanistan. "My determination remains intact," French President Nicolas Sarkozy said.

A French-language AFP report described an hours-long battle following the initial attack, during which the French were reinforced by NATO ground troops, the wounded were evacuated by air and air attacks killed five Taliban and 15 civilians, the latter according to a Taliban spokesman. A total of 13 30 Taliban reportedly died.

Updated 16:49 EST: The ambush was perhaps triggered when French troops nearly stumbled upon a senior Taliban leader, Defense News reports. Nine of the French soldiers died in the opening salvo; the tenth died when his armored car (pictured above) overturned. The French-Afghan patrol also included an American Special Forces air-controller team that helped call in A-10s and OH-58D Kiowa choppers; French choppers carried out the casualties.The irregular [Taliban] fighters showed "a capability of maneuver," successively attacking the support base and a second section of the joint patrol, which consisted of about 100 soldiers, [French General Jean-Louis] Georgelin said.

100 Taliban fighters used mines, rockets and gunfire to stage a "complex" ambush of a French and Afghan convoy east of Kabul on Monday, killing 10 French soldiers. It was the worst combat-related loss of life for the French military since a suicide bombing in Lebanon in 1983.

The attack comes at a time when France is considering boosting its 3,000-strong contingent in eastern Afghanistan. "My determination remains intact," French President Nicolas Sarkozy said.

A French-language AFP report described an hours-long battle following the initial attack, during which the French were reinforced by NATO ground troops, the wounded were evacuated by air and air attacks killed five Taliban and 15 civilians, the latter according to a Taliban spokesman. A total of 13 30 Taliban reportedly died.

Updated 16:49 EST: The ambush was perhaps triggered when French troops nearly stumbled upon a senior Taliban leader, Defense News reports. Nine of the French soldiers died in the opening salvo; the tenth died when his armored car (pictured above) overturned. The French-Afghan patrol also included an American Special Forces air-controller team that helped call in A-10s and OH-58D Kiowa choppers; French choppers carried out the casualties.The irregular [Taliban] fighters showed "a capability of maneuver," successively attacking the support base and a second section of the joint patrol, which consisted of about 100 soldiers, [French General Jean-Louis] Georgelin said.