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Latest update: 12/01/2010
- Afghanistan - France - insurgency - NATO
French soldier among six foreign troops killed in insurgent attacks
Six foreign troops were killed on Monday in insurgent attacks across Afghanistan, including a French soldier who died in a rebel raid on his convoy in the Alasay valley north-east of Kabul.
By FRANCE 24 (with wires) (text)
Six international soldiers were killed on Monday in a wave of violence in some of the most volatile regions of insurgency-wracked Afghanistan, NATO said.
The dead included three Americans killed in southern Afghanistan, one French soldier who died northeast of the capital Kabul, and two more whose nationalities have not yet officially been given, NATO and military officials said.
The deaths bring to 15 the number of foreign soldiers who have died in Afghanistan this year, fighting a virulent Taliban insurgency.
The French soldier was killed when an attack struck a convoy of French and Afghan forces in the Alasay valley northeast of Kabul, according a statement by the French republic presidency.
"A non-commissioned officer paid with his life for the commitment of France to the peace and security of the Afghan people and another officer was also very gravely wounded," it said.
The victim was the 37th French soldier to die in Afghanistan since the current war began in 2001.
France has 3,300 troops in Afghanistan serving in NATO's mission to stabilise the country, against fierce resistance from fighters loyal to the ousted Taliban regime.
Sarkozy, "strongly condemned this blind violence and expressed France's determination to continue to work within the (NATO-led) International Security Assistance Force," the statement said.
France has signalled it may agree to send reinforcements to Afghanistan in response to a request from US President Barack Obama who is looking to boost the troop presence there and end the war.
A major conference on Afghanistan is scheduled to take place in London at the end of this month, bringing together all the major allies and Afghan officials to chart a new course for the Afghan mission in light of the new US strategy.
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Comments (4)
America can win with France's help
To the person who said that the US would lose in 1 year, I say your wrong. The US/UK/Israel (and hopefully now France) will win. Don't be so negative!
More French troops needed
I agree with the previous post about France not sending enough troops to Afghanistan and Iraq. Is is because the French are such pussies? We Americans are going all out and need the same from the French. We have to fight in these countries otherwise how can we protect US, UK, and Isreal etc..... I had high hopes when Sarkozy won that he would be able to get the French army to fight. While he started out well, he needs to send more French to fight with us. Remember your either with us or against us.
By : Samosir, MF. Medan Indonesia
There is a saying; I believe, God has defeated death. Therefore, "if I must die in battle in the name of God, the sacrifice would not be in vain". And the will of God as I believe, also would be a reality in the afterlife. Amen.
true story
the foreign troops wont be in afghanistan that long they will retreat in about 1 year due to the rising death toll of their forces trust me the end is near just stay steadfast god doesnt like ugly and people who thinks they are above him and America thinks just that but their fate is already written on paper the empire is crumbling military is their last hope for conquest.
France / Afghanistan
It is interesting to note that your reporting of the sad loss of a French Soldier mentioned, rather smugly that France had committed the 4th largest contingent to the NATO force in the Afghanistan. The report is unbalanced as it failed to mention that the French force is relatively small and that France has been repeatedly castigated by the US, UK and Canada for a persistent LACK of committment. Pathetically, it mentioned just the US and French deaths by country, as though France was a big regional player and partner of the US. The UK, a less populated country than France, has 10,000 troops in Afghanistan. They work in a much more dangerous region and have suffered almost 250 dead. If, so called, allies such as France really were committed then perhaps fewer of my countrymen and those of the US and Canada would return home in body bags. Of course France is not alone in shirking this duty but the report hides the political cowardice and hypocracy, rampant in NATO, of which France with its sophisticated and efficient military capability is particularly guilty. France just loves to try and dominate NATO by populating headquarters with officers and making sure that French is an equal second official language but when it comes to fighting there is less entheusiasm. Once again the Anglo Saxons are bearing the brunt for NATO, just 242 of the 1582 dead are from non-Anglo Saxon countries countries. It is disgraceful reporting. How about a report discussing these issues and raising a sense of shame. I won't be surprised when I don't see one. Steve Smith ex Royal Air Force and sometime NATO Official.
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