A second French soldier serving with the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon has died after being wounded in a Hezbollah attack in southern Lebanon, French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday.
The soldier, Cpl. Anis Girardin, was evacuated to France after being seriously injured in an attack over the weekend in the village of Al-Randuriya, but died of his wounds on Wednesday, according to Macron.
“The nation salutes his memory and his sacrifice. He died for France,” Macron said in a statement.
Macron had earlier confirmed the death of another soldier, Cpl. Florian Montorio, who was killed in the same incident. Three other soldiers were seriously wounded in the attack, including Girardin.
The troops were part of the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, which operates in southern Lebanon along the border with Israel.
According to UNIFIL, the unit came under fire while working to clear munitions from a road and reestablish contact with isolated positions. An initial assessment indicated Hezbollah was likely responsible.
Israel said a day later that intelligence information confirmed Hezbollah had fired on the peacekeepers.
Macron said earlier that evidence pointed to Hezbollah’s responsibility and called on Lebanese authorities to take action against those involved.
Hezbollah denied involvement in the incident and urged caution in assigning blame before an investigation is completed. The Iran-backed group also accused its critics of remaining silent when Israel attacks UNIFIL forces.
Macron said France would honor Montorio in a ceremony Thursday and extended condolences to the families of the fallen and wounded, praising the “courage and determination” of French forces serving in UNIFIL.