A French special forces soldier was killed and two more were injured during a reconnaissance mission in northeastern Mali on April 29 when their vehicle was hit by an explosion, according to a statement by the French ministry of defense.

Diplomats from 11 countries met in Istanbul on April 20 to discuss the Syrian crisis, Xinhua reported.

The French family kidnapped by Boko Haram in Cameroon in February has been released and is in the hands of Cameroonian officials, Cameroonian President Paul Biya said April 19, Al Jazeera reported.

Chad is beginning to pull its troops out of Mali, Chadian President Idriss Deby said April 15, the BBC reported.

Iran met with officials from Russia, China, the United States, France, the United Kingdom and Germany on April 6 for a second day of negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program, AFP reported.

Malian soldiers backed by French fighter jets clashed with Islamist militants in Timbuktu after militants used a car bomb to cover their overnight incursion into the city, sources said March 31, Reuters reported.

Some residents of Bangui reported rampant looting after Seleka rebels entered the Central African Republic capital March 23, Xinhua reported March 25.

France has deployed troops to the Central African Republic after Seleka rebels clashed with government forces in the capital of Bangui, Reuters reported March 23.