The Albany Gazette - Iran drone kills French soldier in Iraqi Kurdistan

Since US-Israeli strikes on Iran last month engulfed the Middle East in war, multiple attacks attributed to pro-Iranian factions have targeted the region where foreign forces are based as part of an international anti-jihadist coalition.

Arnaud Frion, 42, was "killed by a Shahed drone strike," said his commanding officer Colonel Francois-Xavier de la Chesnay.

The member of the armed forces "died for France during an attack in the Erbil region of Iraq," Macron posted on X, adding that several soldiers were also wounded.

Earlier, a pro-Iranian Iraqi group warned that French interests in the region were targets after the arrival of a French aircraft carrier to "the area of operations of the American Central Command."

The statement on Ashab Alkahf's Telegram channel also warned "our brothers in the security forces" to stay away from a base it said housed French troops.

There was no direct claim of responsibility for the attack from the group.

The French military said that drones had on Thursday hit a base where troops were taking part in counter-terrorism training with Iraqi counterparts.

The governor of Erbil said the strike involved two drones and hit a base in Mala Qara, around 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the regional capital.

"The war in Iran cannot justify such attacks," Macron said, calling the strike "unacceptable".

The soldier's death follows a separate drone strike on an Italian base in Erbil, within a military compound that was hosting other foreign troops.

No injuries were reported in that attack, but Italy said it was temporarily withdrawing its military personnel from the base.

Soldiers from several countries, including Italy and France, are training members of the Kurdish security forces in Iraqi Kurdistan as part of the anti-jihadist coalition led by Washington.

Macron has insisted that his country's stance in the Middle East war is "strictly defensive".

burs-ah/yad

(Y.Harris--TAG)