The second French soldier died in Iraq. After Baptiste Gauchot, who died on August 18 in a traffic accident, ensign Nicolas Latour died, “mortally wounded on the sidelines of a combat training exercise in an urban area,” indicates the major of the armies.
The soldier died in “operational exercises,” the Elysee Palace reports for its part. This was announced on Monday morning by Emmanuel Macron.
The death of a soldier was recorded in the military hospital of Erbil (north), where he was taken on an emergency basis. Nicolas Latour served with the 6th Engineer Regiment in Iraq. “He was on a training mission for the Iraqi army. Relentlessly fight against terrorism,” says Defense Minister Sebastian Lecornu, “deeply saddened” by this death.
The soldier was training Iraqi soldiers to counter improvised explosive devices. He participated in Operation Shammal, the French component of the operation of the international coalition “Unwavering Resolve” against the Islamic State group, created in 2014. In 2015, the operation was extended to Syria.
The coalition has not carried out more ground operations since January 2022, it is also specified on the website of the ministry. About 600 French soldiers are currently stationed there. The mission involves Rafale fighters from air bases in the Levant and the United Arab Emirates, as well as from the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which has deployed several times in the region since 2015.
The mission currently focuses on “military air and sea support for the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF)” as well as advising the Iraqi military.
Nicolas Latourte’s death came just three days after the death of Baptiste Gauchot, who also took part “in a mission to train the Iraqi military.” The latter have been deployed to external operations since May 2023 as part of Operation Chammal Ile, which “contributed to the training of our Iraqi partners in infantry combat and first aid,” the military ministry said last week.
Despite prompt treatment and during an emergency operation at a hospital in Erbil, Iraq, he died from his injuries. Another soldier who was next to him was seriously wounded and was being treated at a military hospital in Baghdad.
Source: Le Parisien
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