Death of Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame (28 March 2018)

The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs pays tribute to the memory of Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame, who died on March 24.

We hail the extraordinary courage of this officer who gave his life in the service of the nation.

Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame, who had joined the Parachute Intervention Squadron of the Gendarmerie Nationale in 2003, took part in missions to protect French diplomatic facilities. He directed the security detachment of the French Embassy in Baghdad in 2005 at a time of deep insecurity. For this Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame received the Cross for Military Valor and the Honor Medal of Foreign Affairs.

The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs expresses its deep gratitude for the services of Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame. It applauds the commitment of all our gendarmerie and police personnel to ensure the security of our embassies and employees worldwide.

We offer our most sincere condolences to the family of Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame, his loved ones and his companions.