Speaker Nabih Berri Condemns Deadly Ambush on French UN Peacekeepers in South Lebanon

Lebanese Speaker Nabih Berri denounces the ambush that killed a French peacekeeper. Read about France's accusations and the current UNIFIL investigation.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 18, 2026, 9:34 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Times of Israel

Parliament Speaker Offers Diplomatic Condolences

Nabih Berri, the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament and leader of the Amal Movement, issued a formal statement on Saturday condemning the lethal assault on a French UNIFIL patrol. The incident took place in southern Lebanon during a period of high tension between domestic non-state actors and international peacekeeping forces. Berri, who maintains a long-standing political alliance with Hezbollah, contacted Major General Diodato Abagnara, the UNIFIL Force Commander, to express his sympathies for the loss of European personnel operating within the United Nations mandate.

French Soldier Killed in Targeted Ambush

The casualty was identified by the French Presidency as Staff Sergeant Florian Montorio of the 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment. According to the French Ministry of Armed Forces, Montorio was part of an engineering unit tasked with clearing a supply route to a UNIFIL outpost that had been isolated by several days of localized fighting. The patrol was reportedly ambushed at close range in the Deir Kifa region, coming under direct fire from light weaponry. Three other French soldiers sustained injuries during the engagement and were subsequently evacuated for medical treatment.

Paris Accuses Hezbollah of Direct Responsibility

President Emmanuel Macron utilized social media to directly attribute the attack to Hezbollah, stating that all preliminary evidence suggests the Iran-backed group orchestrated the ambush. Macron called upon the Lebanese government, led by President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, to immediately identify and prosecute those responsible. The French government has signaled that this development represents a grave violation of the safety of international personnel and has requested an emergency briefing at the United Nations Security Council.