Kabul , Afghanistan ( CNN ) -- French President Francois Hollande mourned the deaths of four French soldiers and an Afghan interpreter killed in a suicide bombing and said his plan to withdraw combat forces by year 's end will start next month . The bombing occurred in Kapisa province , where most of the 3,300 French troops have been operating in Afghanistan . Hollande said five people were also injured in the attack . It brings the number of French fatalities in the Afghan war to 87 . `` I wish to express my gratitude and that of the whole nation to our soldiers . I salute their dedication and courage . I know the strength of character of our troops in Afghanistan , '' Hollande said . `` I offer families the message of solidarity and comfort of the French people . A national tribute will be paid to the victims and the wounded will be repatriated as soon as possible . A plane has already left and will ensure them back as soon as possible . '' French troops deployed under the NATO-led command have been operating in Kapisa province for years . Hollande , who recently won the presidential election , campaigned for an accelerated withdrawal of combat forces and called for their removal from the field by the end of the year . Trainers will remain in the country longer . NATO 's International Security Assistance Force reported the deaths of four service members in an attack , but deferred identification of the nationalities to the troops ' home countries . After he took office last month , Hollande visited French troops in the same region where the soldiers died . He visited the Nijrab forward operating base in the northeastern province of Kapisa and paid tribute to those soldiers killed in the line of duty . The Afghan Interior Ministry said the bombing took place in the Nijrab district 's Pul-i-Khwaja bazaar area . Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said the bomber was a man who had been dressed in a burqa , the head-to-toe garment Muslim women in Afghanistan wear to cover their bodies in public . The Taliban claimed responsibility , saying the man had explosives strapped to his body . The incident is under investigation , and Hollande said he asked Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and the army chief of staff to go to Afghanistan on Sunday and `` mark the nation 's support to our forces . '' `` The decision that I made to accelerate the withdrawal of French combat forces from Afghanistan will begin in July . It will be implemented and completed by the end of 2012 . Until then , everything must be done for our troops meet our obligations with the highest level of security and the utmost vigilance . I take this commitment and I will be the guarantor of the transaction . '' In a separate incident , ISAF reported the death of a service member after a roadside bombing in eastern Afghanistan . It did not list the province and the nationality of the soldier . CNN 's Ingrid Formanek in Kabul and Joe Sterling in Atlanta contributed to this report .
NEW : French president says four soldiers , interpreter killed . Five soldiers and three civilians were wounded in Kapisa province . France is expected to withdraw its remaining troops by year 's end . Another French service ##man died in a separate incident .