France confirms soldier killed during anti-terrorism training in Iraq

A US soldier from Troop A, 8th Squadron of the 10th Cavalry, patrols through the neighbourhood of Amiriyah in western Baghdad, 24 July 2006 [AFP via Getty Images]

A French soldier was killed in an anti-terrorism training exercise in Iraq yesterday, the French government has revealed. According to Reuters, Warrant Officer Nicolas Latourte was the second member of the French armed forces to die in Iraq in three days.

Sergeant Baptiste Gauchot, a French soldier posted to the Operation Chammal training mission in Iraq, was killed in a road accident last Friday.

Latourte was apparently wounded during an urban combat training exercise, explained the defence ministry. He was transferred by helicopter to a military hospital in Erbil where he was confirmed dead.

“Nicolas Latourte lost his life in the line of duty,” said French President Emmanuel Macron on X, formerly Twitter.

Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu added that Latourte had been on a mission to train Iraq’s armed forces “to fight terrorism”.

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