Ruptly
"French Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin during a solemn ceremony in Suippes on Tuesday, paid tribute to Corporal Anicet Girardin, who lost his life in Lebanon while serving under UNIFIL. "Anicent Girardin was one of the conscientious, discreet faces of unfailing reliability. He was appreciated by everyone. His superiors acknowledged his seriousness, his peers admired his competence, and his subordinates followed his example. He inspired unity with this natural authority, soldiers who know how to do, who know how to lead," Vautrin said. "They serve peace there amid tensions. They carry France’s message amidst the clatter of weapons. They remind us that between people, even when everything wavers, there must remain a voice. It is this voice that Anicent Girardin served until the ultimate sacrifice," he added. It comes as France continues to honour personnel deployed under UN peacekeeping missions in southern Lebanon, a mission that has been active since 1978. In this most recent incident, Adjudant Florian Montorio was killed, while Corporal Anicet Girardin of the 132nd Cynotechnical Infantry Regiment was repatriated to France and later died following his return. The investigation into the circumstances is underway. Some reports have suggested possible involvement of Hezbollah, which has strongly denied any role in the incident, warning against what it described as 'premature conclusions' before investigations are completed. Other voices in the region pointed to Israel's 'repeated violations' against UN peacekeepers, including the 1996 Qana shelling during Operation Grapes of Wrath. However, no verified evidence has been publicly presented linking it directly to the attack. UNIFIL and Lebanese authorities have maintained that the situation remains under investigation, stressing that multiple armed actors operate in the area."
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