A French soldier recently engaged in Lebanon, Marshal Fany Claudin, died in a road accident that occurred during an operational escort mission of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), announced the Ministry of the Armed Forces this Friday, November 15, 2024.
According to the ministry, the military “was fatally injured in a road accident” during a “operational logistics convoy escort mission between Dayr Kifa and Naqoura, Lebanon”. “Despite rapid treatment by a doctor” of UNIFIL, the“medical team was only able to note the death of house marshal Claudin”.
The army also mentioned other “wounded soldiers” in the accident, without specifying their number or their state of health.
A “committed and diligent” soldier
Fany Claudin, aged 23, belonged to 121e train regiment of the French Army, based in Montlhéry (Essonne).
According to a press release from the Army, published on Facebook, the soldier is described as a “promising element in the eyes of its leaders”, “invested and applied” ,Who “stands out for his dynamism, his camaraderie, and shows real leadership skills”we can read.
Read also: A French soldier died in an accident in Djibouti
The quartermaster had been deployed on external operations in Lebanon since “beginning of November” only, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces. According to the Army, Fany Claudin was in a relationship, without children.
She participated in Operation Daman
The ministry indicated that the soldier was deployed in Lebanon as part of Operation Daman, the name of the French participation in the international force UNIFIL. “She contributed daily to supporting the force working to restore peace”indicated on X (ex-Twitter), the chief of staff of the armed forces, Thierry Burkhard, who expressed his “great sadness”.
Operation Daman artwork “to prepare for the return of populations displaced by the war in South Lebanon. It carries out daily route openings and clearances to make traffic routes passable.had informed the Army General Staff about X.
According to the Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, who also shared his “strong emotion”the 700 French soldiers deployed as part of Operation Daman “working for de-escalation in South Lebanon”.
Before joining the operation, Fany Claudin had notably been deployed to Niger, from October 2022 to February 2023, within the “Jura logistics desert battle group”.
She was decorated with the Combatant's Cross, the Overseas Medal with “Sahel” clasp, the Military Territorial Protection Medal with “Sentinel” clasp and the Bronze National Defense Medal.
