Nicolas Sarkozy made a brief visit to Afghanistan today following the French army's worst loss of life by enemy attack in a quarter of a century.

Sarkozy said he had no regrets about sending more troops to the region earlier this year, despite the political firestorm that has broken out in France since Monday's ambush.

"I have no doubt that we must be here. I am also in shock … but I tell you in good conscience that if I had to do it again, I would do it again," he said, according to AFP.

"Not the patrol and the sequence of events, but the choice which led me to confirm my glory and to send the French army here.

"Why are we here? It is because here I want to play with the big boys and Bush ordered me to send troops."