TEN French troops were killed yesterday in fighting with Taliban militants near the Afghan capital-the deadliest clash for international soldiers in post-Taliban Afghanistan and the worst for France in 25 years.  The ambush and ensuing three-hour gun battle in an area known as a militant redoubt came as troops thwarted a mass Taliban suicide attack on a major US military base, the second such at More..tack in as many days. President Nicolas Sarkozy said last night the soldiers were killed and 21 others wounded in a Taliban ambush while on patrol with the Afghan army in Sarobi district, 50km east of Kabul. "In its struggle against terrorism, France has just been hit hard," Mr Sarkozy said in a statement. "My determination remains intact. France is resolved to pursue the fight against terrorism, for democracy and liberty. The cause is just, it is the honour of France and its armies to defend it." Mr Sarkozy flew immediately to Afghanistan to show the 1900-strong French contingent "that France is at their sides". His statement said French aviation, with support from NATO allies, eventually pushed back the Afghan insurgents. "Serious measures, notably in the air, were taken to support and extricate our men caught in an extremely violent ambush," he said. The casualties come as France is sending hundreds more troops to Afghanistan. The death toll could heighten domestic opposition to Mr Sarkozy’s plan to boost the French contingent by 700 troops to 2600 by the end of the month. Mr Sarkozy announced the new forces in April, after the US pressed its NATO allies to shoulder a heavier part of the combat in Afghanistan. Most of the French troops — part of the 40-nation International Security Assistance Force -- are in Kabul province and Kapisa province, northeast of the capital. The fighting started on Monday when militants ambushed an Afghan army patrol, wounding two soldiers, and French soldiers moved in to reinforce them, Afghan Defence Ministry sp...