A member of an elite French commando unit was killed Monday in Iraq while “supporting an Iraqi unit in an anti-terrorist operation”, French President Emmanuel Macron’s office said Tuesday.
Sergeant Nicolas Mazier, an air force paratrooper, “fell in combat while carrying out his mission”, the Elysee Palace said in a statement, expressing Macron’s “profound respect” for his “sacrifice”.
It said other soldiers from the unit were also wounded.
An Iraqi security source in northeastern Kirkuk said that Iraqi and French troops were ambushed by Islamic State group jihadists late Monday in neighbouring Salah al-Din province.
