France’s President Emmanuel Macron.
| Picture Credit score: AP
A French soldier was killed in an assault in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan area, President Emmanuel Macron mentioned on Friday (March 13, 2026), confirming the primary French army demise within the West Asian struggle.
Since U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran final month engulfed West Asia in struggle, a number of assaults attributed to pro-Iranian factions have focused the area the place overseas forces are primarily based as a part of a global anti-jihadist coalition.
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The member of the armed forces “died for France throughout an assault within the Erbil area of Iraq,” Mr. Macron posted on X, including that a number of troopers had been additionally wounded.
He didn’t say who was behind the assault.
The French army mentioned earlier that drones had hit a base the place troops had been collaborating in counter-terrorism coaching with Iraqi counterparts.
The Governor of Erbil mentioned the strike concerned two drones and hit a base in Mala Qara, round 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the regional capital.
The French army mentioned on Thursday (March 12) that six folks had been wounded within the assault. It was not clear whether or not the solider who died was amongst that toll.
“The struggle in Iran can’t justify such assaults,” Mr. Macron mentioned, calling the strike “unacceptable”.
The soldier’s demise follows a separate drone strike on an Italian base in Erbil, inside a army compound that was internet hosting different overseas troops.
No accidents had been reported in that assault, however Italy mentioned it was briefly withdrawing its army personnel from the bottom.
Troopers from a number of international locations, together with Italy and France, are coaching members of the Kurdish safety forces in Iraqi Kurdistan as a part of the anti-jihadist coalition led by Washington.
“Their presence in Iraq is a part of the strict framework of the struggle towards terrorism,” Mr. Macron posted on Friday (March 13), referring to the French troops who had been attacked.
Mr. Macron has insisted that his nation’s stance within the West Asian struggle is “strictly defensive”.
Revealed – March 13, 2026 08:30 am IST