French soldier killed drone attack Iraq

French Soldier Killed in Drone Strike

A soldier from France was killed and several others were injured in a drone attack targeting foreign troops in the region of Erbil in Iraq.

The attack occurred at a military base where international forces are stationed as part of anti-terrorism operations in the region.

Macron Confirms Casualty and Reacts

Emmanuel Macron confirmed the death in a message posted on the social network X, stating that a member of the French armed forces had “died for France” during the strike.

L’adjudant-chef Arnaud Frion du 7ème bataillon de chasseurs alpins de Varces est mort pour la France lors d’une attaque dans la région d’Erbil en Irak.

À sa famille, à ses frères d’armes, je veux dire toute l’affection et la solidarité de la Nation.

Plusieurs de nos militaires…
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) March 13, 2026

The soldier was identified as Arnaud Frion, a non-commissioned officer from the 7th Alpine Chasseurs Battalion based in Varces.

Macron expressed condolences to the soldier’s family and fellow troops, stressing that the attack on French forces was unacceptable.

“This attack against our forces, engaged since 2015 in the fight against ISIS, is unacceptable,” the French president said.

Attack on Base Near Erbil

According to local officials, the strike involved two drones and targeted a base located in Mala Qara, around 40 kilometers from Erbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdistan region.

Several soldiers were wounded in the attack and were immediately transported to a nearby medical facility for treatment.

French Mission in Iraq

French troops stationed in the region are part of the international coalition fighting ISIS.

Their mission mainly focuses on training Iraqi and Kurdish security forces in counter-terrorism operations.

Macron emphasized that France’s military presence in Iraq remains strictly defensive.

Rising Tensions in the Middle East

The incident comes amid rising regional tensions following military strikes launched on 28 February 2026 by the United States and Israel against targets in Iran.

Since then, several drone and missile attacks attributed to pro-Iranian groups have been reported across the Middle East.

Earlier, another drone strike targeted an Italian base in the Erbil area, prompting Italy to temporarily withdraw its military personnel from the facility.

BREAKING: Iranian kamikaze drones hit a French military base near Erbil Airport in northern Iraq, wounding six French soldiers.https://t.co/2da8zdM7Eh #IranIsraelWar #IranWar‌ #DroneAttack pic.twitter.com/5vtFFrR1w1
— Zëri i Drenices (@zidrenices) March 13, 2026