A French soldier has been killed in a tragic road accident in Iraq while actively engaged in a training mission for the Iraqi armed forces, President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday.
Sergeant Baptiste Gauchot “was very seriously wounded when his vehicle went off the road,” France’s armed forces ministry said, as AFP cited.
After receiving immediate medical attention at Arbil Hospital, the soldier, unfortunately, succumbed to his injuries despite undergoing emergency surgery. Meanwhile, the ministry said another soldier accompanying him during the incident is currently undergoing treatment at a military hospital in Baghdad.
The French president “learned with deep emotion today of the death in Iraq in a traffic accident of Sergeant Baptiste Gauchot of the 19th Engineer Regiment”, according to the Elysee Palace.
According to the ministry, President Emmanuel Macron reasserted his unwavering backing for the Iraqi people and their governing bodies. He emphasized France’s steadfast commitment to collaborating with Iraq, demonstrating a firm determination to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them. This partnership aims to empower further and train their security forces, solidifying their capabilities in the ongoing battle against terrorism.
It said Macron “reaffirmed his support for the Iraqi people and authorities and France’s determination to continue working alongside them to train their security forces in the fight against terrorism,” AFP reported.
