President Francois Hollande has defended France's military intervention in the Central African Republic - after two French soldiers were killed in the capital Bangui.

Speaking in Bangui, he said last week's deployment of 1,600 troops had been necessary to "avoid carnage".

The two French soldiers were killed in combat near Bangui airport.

The CAR has been in chaos since rebel leader Michel Djotodia ousted President Francois Bozize in March.

Fuelled by ethnic rivalries, the conflict has also now become sectarian in nature as he installed himself as the first Muslim leader in the Christian-majority country sparking months of bloody clashes between rival Muslim and Christian fighters.

On Tuesday, President Hollande said the French military involvement was "necessary if one wants to avoid carnage" in the impoverished African nation.

"It was time to act. In Bangui itself, nearly 400 people were killed. There was no time to procrastinate," he added, in a reference to the past week's bloodshed.

The two French soldiers - paratroopers - were killed on Monday night in a clash with identified gunmen.

They are said to be the first French deaths since France deployed its troops in a UN-backed operation.

Claude Bartolone, speaker of France's National Assembly, told reporters that the soldiers "were injured and very quickly taken to the surgical unit, but unfortunately they could not be saved".