The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, confirmed the death of a French soldier after a drone attack that occurred in the Erbil region of Iraqi Kurdistan.
The deceased soldier was identified as Chief Petty Officer Arnaud Frion, a member of the 7th Alpine Hunters Battalion based in Varces.
“Petty officer Arnaud Frion died for France during an attack in the Erbil region of Iraq,” Macron wrote on the social network X.
Drone attack against a military base The attack occurred at a base
located in the area of Mala Qara, about 40 kilometers southwest of
Erbil.
According to local authorities, the incident was carried out using two armed drones.
The attack also left six French soldiers injured, according to information released by the General Staff of the French Army.
The soldiers were participating in military cooperation and training missions with local forces.
Foreign troops were training local forces
The French military was part of a contingent deployed in Iraq as part of an international mission against terrorism
.
According to the French army, the troops were participating in training operations alongside Iraqi and Kurdish forces.
Soldiers from other countries that make up the international coalition led by the United States also operated on that base.
Among the countries present in the area is also Italy.
Macron condemns the attack against foreign forces
After confirming the death of the soldier, Macron described the attack as unacceptable.
The president stressed that the presence of French troops in Iraq is part of the fight against the terrorist group Islamic State.
“This attack against our forces engaged in the fight against IS since 2015 is unacceptable,” he said.
Macron also pointed out that regional escalation cannot justify aggressions against troops participating in counterterrorism operations.
The first French soldier to die since the beginning of the Frion conflict
became the first French soldier to die since the beginning of the war in the Middle East that broke out after the attacks against Iran.
The conflict began on February 28, when Israel and the United States launched military operations against Iranian strategic objectives.
Since then, the war has spread to different countries in the region, including Iraq, where international force bases operate
.
Condolences to the family of the deceased soldier
Macron expressed condolences to the soldier's family and to his
unit companions.
The president transmitted “all the love and solidarity of the Nation” to Frion's family members and his comrades in the army.
He also expressed support for the soldiers who were injured during the attack.
