The soldier died while taking part in an operation alongside Afghan police in the Alasay valley in Kapisa province, east of Kabul, it said in a statement.
The announcement came as President Nicolas Sarkozy held an emergency security meeting during France`s Bastille Day national holiday to discuss how to keep French combat troops safe before they quit Afghanistan by 2014.
The five soldiers killed Wednesday -- along with an Afghan civilian -- died when a suicide bomber targeted them as they protected a local tribal council in the Tagab valley of Kapisa province.
Thursday`s death brought to 70 the number of French soldiers who have died in Afghanistan since 2001, when they deployed to support the US-led campaign to overthrow the Taliban regime and hunt Al-Qaeda militants.
Wednesday`s attack was the worst loss for French forces since August 2008, when 10 soldiers were killed and 21 injured after Taliban guerrillas ambushed a patrol in the Sarobi district east of Kabul.
(Uu.B002)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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