National tribute to Florian Montorio: He pursued the noblest mission, working for peace in the midst of tensions salutes the Minister of the Armed Forces

The national tribute ceremony for Florian Montorio, a peacekeeper in the UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon), took place on Saturday, April 18 in Lebanon. This Thursday, April 23 at 11:30, a ceremony was held at Montauban (Tarn-et-Garonne), led by the Minister of the Armed Forces, Catherine Vautrin, and the Chief of Staff of the Army, General Pierre Schill. Under bright sunshine, in the vast parade ground of the Doumerc barracks, military honors were paid to him.

At 40 years old and a father of two daughters aged 9 and 15, the French soldier was assigned to the 17th Parachute Engineering Regiment (RGP) in Montauban since 2021, the city where he lived. It is the only regiment of its kind, tasked with parachuting into the center of operations to support the advance of other ground troops.

Florian Montorio had served in several other operations (in Mali, Iraq, and Niger) and was due to return to civilian life. He was tragically killed on Saturday by direct gunfire in the Deir-Kifa region of Southern Lebanon. Minister Catherine Vautrin emphasized his dedication to noble missions in conflict zones throughout his career.

He posthumously received the Cross of Military Valor, the Military Medal which he had already received while alive, and was also posthumously made a Knight of the Legion of Honor.

After the ceremony, the entire regiment, in a procession, left the barracks to follow the hearse to a church in the city for a memorial mass. Residents were invited to pay their respects along the route and attend the service.

Another French soldier, Corporal-Chef Anicet Girardin, who was injured in the ambush that claimed Montorio’s life, succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday. This brings the total number of French soldiers lost since the conflict began in the Middle East to three. Girardin will also receive a tribute ceremony, according to the Minister of the Armed Forces.

Minister Jean-Noël Barrot of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that targeting clearly identified military personnel such as peacekeepers constitutes a war crime, and suggested that the responsibility for this crime lies with Hezbollah, according to Franceinfo.

With information from AFP.