French military: Forces giving chase to pirates that attacked fishing boats in Indian Ocean.

French soldiers chase Indian Ocean pirates

PARIS — A French military official says soldiers in the Indian Ocean are chasing pirates who attacked two French tuna fishing vessels off the Seychelles Islands.

Patrick Steiger says the French soldiers have fired warning shots at the pirates.

The boats were attacked early Tuesday afternoon about 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) off the Seychelles, and Stieger says the operation to neutralize the pirates is continuing.

France’s government has been stationing military personnel aboard fishing boats off East Africa since July to protect them from pirates active in the region. French military officials said over the weekend that the force fired on pirates to protect two fishing boats.