In a phone call with France’s President Emmanuel Macron on Friday, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani strongly condemned the attack that killed one French soldier last night and called on Baghdad to rein in outlawed armed groups.

“I extend my condolences to the family of this heroic soldier … who sacrificed his life in Kurdistan for peace,” President Nechirvan Barzani posted on X.

“I also reaffirmed that it is the responsibility of the Iraqi government to set limits on outlawed groups. We also stressed the importance of intensifying efforts to stop the war and to reach a peaceful resolution to the crises in the region.”

In a statement on Friday, France’s The Ministry of the Armed Forces and Veterans said that on the evening of March 12, a drone attack targeted a Kurdish military base in Erbil Governorate where French soldiers were deployed.

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“Seven of our soldiers were hit by the strike, including Chief Warrant Officer Arnaud Frion who, despite rapid treatment by the medical teams present, succumbed to his injuries.

“At 8:40 pm [Paris time], a drone struck the center of the Kurdish base of Mala Qara where several French soldiers were stationed. As soon as the strike ended, the seven wounded were taken into the care of medical teams and transported to a hospital, where Warrant Officer Frion was pronounced dead. The six other wounded remain in the hospital. Their repatriation to France is being arranged.”

The government of France said that the French military detachment on the ground is conducting training exercises for several Iraqi units in support of the fight against terrorism, as part of Operation Inherent Resolve. 

Warrant Officer Frion was deployed to Iraq on January 24, 2026, and was a member of 7th Alpine Hunters Battalion from Varces, France.

General Chief of Staff of the French Armed Forces Fabien Mandon underlined that Fion “was engaged in training operations to combat terrorism in support of the Iraqi armed forces. The French armed forces honor his memory and his dedication.”