The bodies of nine French soldiers killed in raids by Ivorian government aircraft on Saturday were brought back to France Monday morning, French Defense Minister Michelle Alliot-Marie told Europe 1 radio.

The minister said there would be an official ceremony presided over by French President Jacques Chirac in honor of the victims atthe Invalides Museum in Paris on Wednesday.

She also said 38 injured soldiers were expected back later in

The Ivorian attack was "extremely serious," the minister said, but there would not be a planned evacuation of the 16,500 French citizens resident in the war-torn Cote d'Ivoire.

While the Ivorian authorities said the bombing of the French position was a target mistake, Alliot-Marie insisted there was no reason for such a mistake.

The soldiers were killed on Saturday by Ivorian government forces in an air raid aimed at a rebel-held town.

Source: Xinhua