Baghdad, Iraq – A French soldier was killed and at least six others were wounded in a drone attack on a joint Kurdish-French base near Makhmour in northern Iraq on Thursday, March 12, 2026, according to reports. The attack underscores escalating tensions in the region amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The governor of Irbil province, Omid Khoshnaw, confirmed the casualties to Reuters. According to ČT24, the French military had previously reported the drone strike and the transfer of the injured to the nearest hospital.
French President Emmanuel Macron released a statement condemning the attack, stating, “This attack against our forces, which have been fighting against Daesh (Islamic State) since 2015, is unacceptable.” He added that the current conflict in Iran does not justify the strike. Macron also indicated that several other soldiers were injured, though he did not specify the exact number.
The base near Makhmour is part of the international coalition working to combat remnants of the Islamic State group in Iraq. France maintains hundreds of troops in the Irbil region as part of this effort.
According to iDNES.cz, the attack comes as Iran and pro-Iranian militias in Iraq have been conducting retaliatory strikes against military installations linked to the United States and its allies, following recent attacks on Tehran by the U.S. And Israel.
The New Region reported that six French soldiers were injured in the drone attack. Novinky.cz notes that the U.S. And Israel have been attacking Iran for fourteen days, with the Islamic Republic responding with strikes against countries in the Persian Gulf.
Iraqi officials, however, do not appear to be taking the threat from these pro-Iranian militias seriously, according to Governor Khoshnaw. He stated that no Kurdish fighters were injured in the attack.
