PARIS - France hails the United States' killing of Osama bin Laden "a major event in the global fight against terrorism," the Elysee Palace said Monday.

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After US President Barack Obama announced bin Laden was killed in a US operation in Pakistan, "France salutes the tenacity of the United States who sought for 10 years," Elysee Palace said in a statement.

Labelling ben Laden leader of the most infamous terrorism group and also responsible for the 9/11 attacks, France said "the scourge of terrorism suffered a historic defeat" on his death, but "this is not the end of al-Qaida."

All the states prone to be terrorism victims should continue to pursue the fight against terrorists relentlessly, the French presidency said.