Two French soldiers from UNIFIL died in Lebanon in an attack attributed to Hezbollah. Tributes were paid to them on Wednesday, as French officials highlight limited response options amid escalation risks. The foreign minister denounces it as a war crime.
On Wednesday, tributes were paid to the two French soldiers who died in Lebanon. Sergeant-Chief Florian Montorio, from the 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment, who died on Saturday, was honored in Montauban by Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin. Corporal-Chief Anicet Girardin, who died on Wednesday from wounds sustained in the same attack, was commemorated in Paris at the monument to the dead for France in overseas operations, by Delegate Minister Alice Rufo.
In Montauban, Catherine Vautrin spoke of a history “of blood and sacrifice” for France in Lebanon, recalling the 1983 Drakkar bombing.
On Thursday, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated that targeting UNIFIL soldiers on peacekeeping duty constitutes “a war crime”.
The French army faces constrained response options amid escalation risks in the Middle East war, as France is not at war.
