NAIROBI (AFP) - FRENCH soldiers providing protection on board French fishing ships in the Indian Ocean early on Saturday fired on pirates to repel an attack, a source said.

'Three small launches... (which were) nearly invisible and that we had on the radar at the last moment, chased us,' a member of the crew of the Drennac, one of two fishing French vessels approached by the pirates, told AFP by telephone.

The soldiers 'at first fired warning shots, then they fired at the target,' he added.

The incident took place 195 nautical miles (350km) north of the Seychelles.

It is the first time that the French soldiers, who have been providing protection since July 1 on board about ten French fishing ships off the Somalian coast, have opened fire on pirates.

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