CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC- Two French soldiers were reported to have died during a combat in Bangui, the capital of CAR.

It was revealed that President Francois Hollande of France has expressed his sadness about the death of the soldiers, who were the first to die since France deployed 1,600 soldiers to the troubled country in a UN-backed operation.

The CAR has been in chaos since rebel leader Michel Djotodia ousted President Francois Bozize in March and installed himself as the first Muslim leader in the Christian-dominated country.

Sources revealed that the soldiers were injured and very quickly taken to the surgical unit, but unfortunately they could not be saved.

The statement from President Hollande's office said the soldiers had "lost their lives to save many others".

"The president expresses his profound respect for the sacrifice of these two soldiers and renews his full confidence in the French forces committed - alongside African forces - to restoring security in the Central African Republic, to protecting the people and guaranteeing access to humanitarian aid," it said.

Mr. Hollande will visit Bangui after attending the memorial service of Nelson Mandela in South Africa on Tuesday, December10, 2013.

French troops - along with African peacekeepers - launched an operation on Monday to forcibly disarm militiamen as well as predominantly Muslim fighters who claimed to be part of the new national army, as tensions remain high in the country.

Extra French troops were sent into the CAR last Friday after the UN Security Council backed a mandate to restore order "by all necessary measures" the previous evening.

The UN resolution followed a surge of violence involving Christian self-defence militias that had sprung up after a series of attacks by mainly Muslim fighters from the former rebel coalition.

The Red Cross said 394 people were killed in three days of fighting in Bangui. Many of the victims are believed to have been children.

The French army said it has restored some stability in the capital by Monday night.

According to the UN, an estimated 10% of the CAR's 4.6 million people have fled their homes, while more than a million urgently need food aid.