On March 6, French and Malian forces took control of the
Wadi Tin Keraten area, located 100km east of
Gao and northeast of Imenas. When Malian soldiers got near Tin Keraten, they were attacked by Islamists from
Ansar Dine and
AQIM. French ground troops arrived supported by
Tiger helicopters and Gazelles along with some warplanes. Four Malian soldiers were wounded during the battle and a French soldier,
sergeant Wilfried Pingaud of the 68th Artillery Regiment in Africa, was mortally wounded. He was transported to Gao where he died of his wounds. The Islamists lost about ten men accourding to French reports.