Adjudant-Chef Arnaud Frion was killed and seven other French soldiers wounded in a Shahed drone attack on a base near Erbil, Iraq, on March 13, 2026.Pro-Iranian militia Ashab al-Kahf claimed responsibility for the strike and threatened further attacks on French interests following the deployment of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the region.President Emmanuel Macron condemned the attack, which is the first French combat fatality since the wider Middle East conflict escalated, as French authorities continue to investigate the incident and the origin of the drone.The attack underscores widening regional spillover concerns and highlights the security risks for French forces and facilities in the
Middle East following the carrier's operational engagement.