West Asia war: French soldier killed in attack at Iraq’s Erbil region, says President Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed condolences to his family and fellow soldiers. File Pic/AFP

A French soldier has been killed and several others injured in an attack in the Erbil region of Iraq, French President Emmanuel Macron said, reported the ANI.

The soldier has been identified as Chief Warrant Officer Arnaud Frion of the 7th Battalion of Chasseurs Alpins.

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In a message posted on X, Macron said Frion "died for France" during the attack and expressed condolences to his family and fellow soldiers.

"France stands by the wounded soldiers and their loved ones," he added.

France has been part of the international effort against the militant group Islamic State (ISIS) (also known as Daesh) in Iraq since 2015.

Macron strongly condemned the attack and said that the ongoing conflict involving Iran should not be used as a justification for such violence.

Pro-Iran group issues warning

According to reports, a pro-Iran group known as Ashab Alkahf warned that French interests in Iraq and across the region would be targeted, as per the ANI.

The warning followed the deployment of a French aircraft carrier to the region as tensions continue to rise in West Asia.

US Aircraft crash in Iraq

Meanwhile, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the loss of a Boeing KC‑135 Stratotanker refuelling aircraft over western Iraq.

The aircraft was supporting military operations when the incident occurred.

CENTCOM said two aircraft were involved in the incident. One went down in western Iraq, while the other landed safely, according to the ANI.

However, the US military stated that the crash was not caused by hostile or friendly fire.

Earlier reports from Iranian state media had claimed the aircraft was shot down by resistance groups, but US officials rejected this claim.

Rising tensions across West Asia

Regional tensions have escalated following the killing of Iran's former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during joint military operations by United States and Israel on February 28.

Since then, Iran has launched attacks on Israeli and US assets across several Gulf countries.

The ongoing conflict has also raised concerns over possible disruption to global energy supplies, particularly if Iran moves to block the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, the news agency reported.

(with ANI inputs)