PARIS - French government on Thursday confirmed that one more of its soldiers was killed in east Afghanistan, bringing the total French fatalities in the country to 70 since 2001.

"It is with deep emotion that the President knew the death this morning of a marine commando in the valley of Alasay during a clash," the Elysee said in a statement.

The soldier participated in an operation of zone control with Afghan police when his group was shot by insurgents, according to the statement.

The new fatality came a day after five French soldiers were killed as a suicide bomber attacked their military convoy northeast to Kabul, capital of Afghanistan.

Last month, France announced a progressive withdrawal of French troops from Afghanistan starting this summer.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy in the morning visited the Bercy military hospital to meet with soldiers injured in Afghanistan before the traditional military parade marking France's National Festival took place on the Champs Elysees.

Following the visit, Sarkozy underlined that French troops have to adopt to new conditions that were featured with more terrorist-type attacks from now on to their final departure from Afghanistan due in 2013.

About 4,000 French soldiers were deployed on Afghan territories as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to help local authorities to restore security and crack down Taliban insurgents.