French special forces soldier killed in anti-terror operation in Iraq

A member of an elite French commando unit was killed on Monday in Iraq while “supporting an Iraqi unit in an anti-terrorist operation”, President Emmanuel Macron’s office said Tuesday.

An Iraqi security source in the northern city of Kirkuk said a joint operation by Iraqi counter-terror troops and French special forces stationed at the K1 base in Kirkuk was “ambushed” by Islamic State (IS) group militants, according to AFP.

In a battle lasting “more than five hours”, an unknown number of French troops as well as three members of Iraq’s anti-terrorist forces were wounded, the source added.

Read more: France 24