Italian officer, Massimo Ranzani

Capitano Massimo Ranzani

The Italian soldier killed today (28th February) is Captain Massimo Ranzani, of the 5th Alpine Regiment. The incident occured about 25km north of Shindand when a joint Italian-Afghan military convoy got hit by an improvised explosive device (IED).

Four other soldiers were injured in the blast and air evacuated to hospital.

The patrol was part of an operation providing medical assistance to the local population.

The Italian Army reports that Ranzani has been posthumously promoted from the rank of 1st Lieutenant to Captain.

Leave a tribute to Captain Ranzani

French soldier, Nicolas Belda, killed in combat

Monday 16 March 2009 on the Place d'Armes Camp Warehouse in Kabul, took place the ceremony of lifting the body of Corporal Nicolas Belda, who died in combat in Valley Alasa on 14 March 2009.

Corporal Belda, of the 27th Brigade Alpine Annecy, had joined the Afghan theater in late November 2008, with his unit in the Kapisa region.

Corporal Nicolas Belda