French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian (C) gives a press conference on January 12, 2013 in Paris. Le Drian said that a French pilot was killed on January 11 during a helicopter raid to prevent Islamist groups controlling northern Mali from advancing toward the capital Bamako. The raid was carried out to support Mali ground troops in the battle for the key town of Kona. Backed by French air power, Malian troops on January 11 unleashed an offensive against Islamist rebels who, having seized control of the north of the country in March last year, were threatening to push south.