Macron announces first death of French soldier in Middle East war
France's first soldier to be killed in the Middle East war was hit by an Iranian drone in Iraqi Kurdistan, his commanding officer confirmed on Friday.
Arnaud Frion, 42, was "killed by a Shahed drone strike on the position where he was located," said Colonel Francois-Xavier de la Chesnay.
It is the first death of a member of the French armed forces in the expanding war in the Middle East.
"Chief Warrant Officer Arnaud Frion of the 7th Alpine Chasseurs Battalion in Varces died for France during an attack in the Erbil region of Iraq," President Emmanuel Macron announced on X, denouncing an "unacceptable" attack.
According to the French defence ministry, six other soldiers were injured in the attack that struck the Kurdish base of Mala Qara, where French troops were stationed, about 40km southwest of Erbil.
Without directly claiming responsibility for the strike, a pro-Iran armed group called Ashab al-Kahf announced on Telegram on Friday that it would target French interests in the region following the deployment of the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the eastern Mediterranean.
"After the arrival of the French aircraft carrier in the area of operations of the US Central Command and its engagement in operations, we announce that, starting tonight, all French interests in Iraq and the region will be targeted," the group said.
Ashab al-Kahf urged Iraqi security forces to remain at least 500 meters from a base in Kirkuk, northern Iraq, where, it said, French military personnel are stationed.
Macron said French troops were based in Iraq as part of the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group.
“Their presence in Iraq is part of the strict framework of the fight against terrorism. The war in Iran cannot justify such attacks,” he added.
The French soldiers affected were "engaged in counter-terrorism training activities with Iraqi partners", the French Armed Forces General Staff confirmed.
'Defensive role'
The attack on Thursday was the most serious against French forces in external operations since August 2023, when a member of the French special forces was killed north of Baghdad in an attack claimed by IS.
It comes just a day after a separate French military base in Iraq was hit with a drone strike.
Since the war in the Middle East began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran, Iraqi Kurdistan has suffered numerous attacks attributed to pro-Iranian factions, particularly targeting US military installations in the region. Most of these attacks have been neutralised by air defences.
Al Jazeera has reported that many attacks in Iraq have been claimed by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella organisation of armed groups, some of which are backed by Iran.
The threat to US and European forces has increased with at least 11 American troops so far killed in the conflict, including four in an aerial crash in Iraq on Thursday, and dozens injured.
Central Command said four US crew members were killed when an American KC-135 aerial refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq, but that it was not caused by hostile or friendly fire.
A British base was also attacked in Iraq by a drone strike on Thursday but no casualties have been reported.
In recent days, the French president has emphasised France's "defensive role" in the war. Paris has reinforced its presence in the region to "protect French citizens" and provide support to France's allies, such as Lebanon and Gulf states, Macron said.
At the heart of this deployment is the French aircraft carrier and its air and sea group in the Eastern Mediterranean.
According to Macron, this deployment is intended to mobilise eight frigates and two amphibious helicopter carriers across a vast area that also includes the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz.
This article was sourced from Middle East Eye.
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