3 months ago
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A elder French authorities authoritative said connected Monday (January 26, 2026) the representation of the French soldiers who died successful Afghanistan should not beryllium tarnished pursuing U.S. President Donald Trump's mendacious assertion that troops from non-U.S. NATO countries avoided the beforehand enactment during that war.
Alice Rufo, the Minister delegate astatine the Defence Ministry, laid a wreath astatine a monument successful downtown Paris dedicated to those who died for France successful overseas operations. Speaking to reporters, Ms. Rufo said the ceremonial had not been planned until the weekend, adding that it was important to amusement that “we bash not judge that their representation beryllium insulted.” In October 2001, astir a period aft the Sept. 11 attacks, the U.S. led an planetary conjugation successful Afghanistan to destruct al-Qaida, which had utilized the state arsenic its base, and the group's Taliban hosts.
Alongside the U.S. were troops from dozens of countries, including from NATO, whose mutual-defence mandate had been triggered for the archetypal clip aft the attacks connected New York and Washington. In an interrogation with Fox Business Network successful Davos, Switzerland, Mr. Trump connected Thursday claimed that non-U.S. NATO troops stayed “a small disconnected the frontlines” successful Afghanistan.
Ninety French soldiers died successful the conflict
“At specified a moment, it is symbolically important to beryllium determination for their families, for their memory, and to punctual everyone of the sacrifice they made connected the beforehand line,” Ms. Rufo said.
After his comments caused an outcry, Mr. Trump appeared to backpedal and heaped praise connected the British soldiers who fought successful Afghanistan. He had nary words for different troops, though.
“I person seen the statements, successful peculiar from veterans' associations, their outrage, their anger, and their sadness,” Ms. Rufo said, adding that trans-Atlantic solidarity should prevail implicit polemics.
“You know, determination is simply a brotherhood of arms betwixt Americans, Britons, and French soldiers erstwhile we spell into combat.”
