French Foreign Legion veteran of Afghanistan killed in action in Mali

French Foreign Legion Sergeant Harold Vormezeele, a veteran of three tours in Afghanistan, was killed in action during an operation in Mali on 19th February 2013.

Sgt. Vormezeele, born in Belgium in 1979, had served with the Foreign Legion for almost 14 years.

His unit, 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2REP), parachuted in to Timbuktu on 27th January this year. On 19th February, Sgt. Vormezeele was part of an armoured patrol, 50km south of Tessalit, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces. During this engagement, he was fatally wounded.

He served in Afghanistan in 2008, 2010 and 2011. He had also previously served in Bosnia, Gabon, Djibouti, Cote d'Ivoire and the Central African Republic and had been awarded four Cross of Military Valour medals during his career.