Daijiworld Media Network - Erbil

Erbil, Mar 13: A French soldier has been killed in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq as tensions in the Middle East escalate amid the US-Israel-Iran conflict. French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that Chief Warrant Officer Arnaud Frion “died for France” while stationed near Erbil, calling the attack “unacceptable.” Several other soldiers were reportedly injured in the strike.

Macron emphasised that French forces in Iraq are part of the international coalition fighting ISIL (ISIS), and that the ongoing war involving Iran does not justify such attacks. “France stands by their side and with their loved ones,” he added.

The attack comes amid a surge in assaults on foreign military facilities in Iraq. Pro-Iranian groups, including the Islamic Resistance in Iraq and Ashab Ahl al-Kahf, have claimed responsibility for multiple attacks targeting US and allied forces, including French installations. These groups have warned that French interests in Iraq and the region could remain under threat.

Al Jazeera’s Baghdad correspondent, Mahmoud Abdelwahed, noted that Iraq has effectively become a secondary battlefield, with Tehran-aligned groups striking US facilities, military bases, and consulates, including in Erbil and Baghdad.

In related developments, a drone attack targeted a French military base in Iraq, injuring six soldiers, though details on casualties remain unclear. Italy also reported an air strike on its base in Erbil, with no injuries.

Amid the growing threat, Macron announced plans to deploy France’s aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the Mediterranean and additional air defence units to Cyprus, reinforcing France’s military posture in response to the widening regional conflict.