President Emmanuel Macron announced the death of Corporal Anicet Girardin from the 132nd Infantry Cynotechnic Regiment of Suippes, due to wounds from a Hezbollah ambush in southern Lebanon on April 18. Aged 31 and a father, this dog handler was serving with UNIFIL.
Corporal Anicet Girardin, 31, from Reims and a father, succumbed Wednesday morning April 22, 2026, to his wounds after being repatriated from Lebanon the previous day by medicalized aircraft. Severely injured in an ambush on April 18 near Deir-Kifa, he was aiding Adjutant Florian Montorio, killed on the spot by Hezbollah gunfire, as their UNIFIL patrol cleared an improvised explosive route at Ghanduriyah.
"Corporal Anicet Girardin from the 132nd Infantry Cynotechnic Regiment of Suippes, repatriated yesterday from Lebanon where he had been seriously wounded by Hezbollah fighters, died this morning from his injuries," Emmanuel Macron stated on X. The Nation will honor Adjutant Montorio tomorrow and salutes "with emotion the memory of Corporal Anicet Girardin and his sacrifice," the president added, paying tribute to the exemplary commitment of French forces in UNIFIL.
A dog handler for nearly ten years, Anicet Girardin enlisted in 2016 and served in Mali, the 2023 Rugby World Cup, and 2024 Olympics. Deployed to Lebanon since January 23, he formed an effective team with his dog. He is the third French soldier killed in the Middle East conflict, after Arnaud Frion in Iraq, with seven wounded in total.
