US Private Contractor Inez Baker killed in attack in Kapisa province

51-year-old Inez 'Renee' Baker was killed on Friday 8th March 2013 during an attack at Forward Operating Base Tagab, in Kapisa province. The attack happened early afternoon when three men, dressed as Afghan soldiers, drove a vehicle into the gate of the base, before opening fire and killing Ms. Baker.

Two Afghan soldiers also died and four coalition soldiers were injured in the attack. The three attackers were also killed.

Ms. Baker had served in the US Army for 26 years. She retired last year and began working as a private contractor.

More information to follow.

Civilian contractor killed in Kapisa province

A civilian contractor was killed on Friday 8th March 2013 when three Afghan National Army soldiers opened fire at the gate of Forward Operating Base Tagab, in Kapisa province.

The attack happened early afternoon as the three men drove an Afghan Army vehicle into the gate of the base. They then opened fire, killing the contractor, two Afghan soldiers and wounding four coalition soldiers. The three Afghan attackers were killed.

The contractor killed in the attack was Ms. Inez Baker.

French Army CWO Franck Bouzet

45-year-old French Army Chief Warrant Officer Franck Bouzet, from Albertville, died on 7th August 2012 after being shot during a contact with insurgents in the Kapisa Valley. He was part of a joint French-Afghan security operation when they engaged enemy forces near a bridge at Tagab. CWO Bouzet, and another French soldier, were shot. Both were evacuated to Kabul where CWO Bouzet died from his wounds.

CWO Bouzet served with the 13th Mountain Infantry Battalion and had over 27 years of service with the French Army.

CWO Bouzet had deployed on numerous field operations and short-term missions that highlighted his dedication, enthusiasm and remarkable human qualities: Guyana in 1985, the former Yugoslavia in 1994 and 1998, Kosovo in 2000 and 2002, the Côte d'Ivoire in 2005 and 2007, the Central African Republic in 2009 and Afghanistan in 2011. He deployed on this current tour of Afghanistan in May 2012.

He leaves his wife and three children.

French Army Sergeant Yoann Marcillan

24-year-old French Army Sergeant Yoann Marcillan, serving with the 40th Artillery Regiment, was one of four French military personnel killed by a suicide bomber disguised as a woman and wearing a burqa on 9th June 2012.

He was among a unit of French forces who were responding to a report of a bomb planted under a bridge. They were in the main market area of the Nijrab district in eastern Kapisa province when the bomber walked up to them and detonated his explosives.

Sergeant Marcillan joined the French Army in October 2007. In 2009 he was based in New Caledonia and in September that year, deployed to Kosovo as part of a Liaison and Intelligence unit.

Newly promoted in October 2010, he was assigned to the Logistics group as a fire-control officer. He further volunteered for 2 Intelligence Brigade. He deployed to Afghanistan in April 2012.

French Army Sergeant Pierre-Olivier Lumineau

26-year-old French Army Sergeant-chef Pierre-Olivier Lumineau, serving with the 40th Artillery Regiment, was one of four French military personnel killed by a suicide bomber disguised as a woman and wearing a burqa on 9th June 2012.

He was among a unit of French forces who were responding to a report of a bomb planted under a bridge. They were in the main market area of the Nijrab district in eastern Kapisa province when the bomber walked up to them and detonated his explosives.

He attended the French Military's National School of NCOs from May 2010. He was appointed Sergeant in September that year. In December, he was posted to 2 Intelligence Brigade based at Suippes.

He deployed to Afghanistan earlier this year as part of a Tactical Operations Team (ETOMI) based in Kapisa.

French Army Sergeant-chef Stéphane Prudhom

32-year-old French Army Sergeant-chef (Chief Warrant) Stéphane Prudhom, serving with the 40th Artillery Regiment, was one of four French military personnel killed by a suicide bomber disguised as a woman and wearing a burqa on 9th June 2012.

Chief Warrant Prudhom was among a unit of French forces who were responding to a report of a bomb planted under a bridge. They were in the main market area of the Nijrab district in eastern Kapisa province when the bomber walked up to them and detonated his explosives.

He joined the French Army in November 1999 and served with the 2nd Hussars as a scout for four years. In June 2003, he was promoted to Sergeant. In 2009, he joined the 40th Artillery Regiment

During his service, he deployed on six overseas operations: The former Yugoslavia in 2000, Kosovo in 2002 and 2006, Côte d'Ivoire in 2005, Afghanistan in 2006 and Chad in 2008. He deployed on the current mission to Afghanistan in March 2012.

He held the Gold Medal of National Defence, the Medal with Overseas clip "Republic of Côte d'Ivoire" and the French Commemorative Medal with clasps "Former Yugoslavia" and "Afghanistan."

He was the father of two children aged 3 and 1 years old.

French Army Captain Christophe Schnetterle

French Army Captain Christophe Schnetterle, from the 93rd Mountain Artillery Regiment, died in France on 27th March 2012 from injuries he received in January while serving in Afghanistan. 

Captain Schnetterle was seriously wounded in Kapisa during an attack by an Afghan Army soldier on a group of French soldiers 20th January 2012. He had been airlifted to France and died at the Val de Grace hospital in Paris. In the attack, four of his comrades were killed and 14 other soldiers were injured in the attack. 

45 years old, Captain Schnetterle was married with two young girls of 16 and 21 years. He joined the Army in 1986 and was promoted to Captain in 2006. This was his second mission in Afghanistan, deploying in December 2011. He had also previously served in Djibouti, Guyana, Ivory Coast, Martinique and Lebanon.

French soldier dies in eastern Afghanistan - 22 March 2012

A French soldier has died of non-battle injuries in Afghanistan's northeastern province of Kapisa.

Afghan sources told Press TV that the soldier died of non-combat related injuries in Kapisa province, located some 800 kilometers (497 miles) northeast of the country's capital Kabul, on Thursday 22nd March 2012.

The French government has not yet confirmed the incident. More information to follow.

Décès du second maître Benjamin Bourdet.

Le second maître Benjamin BOURDET du commando Jaubert est tombé au champ d’honneur au cours d’un accrochage dans la vallée d’Alasay, en Kapisa, le 14 juillet 2011.

Né le 25 janvier 1981 à Cherbourg, le second maître Benjamin BOURDET est entré dans la Marine nationale le 28 avril 2003. Il choisit la spécialité de fusilier marin et suit le cours du brevet d’aptitude technique de fusilier marin à Lorient.

A l’issue de sa formation, en novembre 2003, il est affecté au Groupement de fusiliers marins de Brest. Autonome et dynamique, il se voit rapidement confier des fonctions de chef d’équipe. Très disponible, il effectue entre 2004 et 2007, quatre missions en Nouvelle Calédonie.

Promu second maître le 1^er septembre 2007, il rejoint la compagnie de fusiliers marins de l’Ile Longue. Grâce à sa grande motivation et à sa détermination, il réussit la sélection du stage commando début 2008 et reçoit son béret vert.

Affecté au commando Jaubert, en mai 2008, il est projeté deux fois à Djibouti. En 2009, il participe au premier déploiement d’équipes de protection embarqué en océan Indien afin de lutter contre la piraterie.

Qualifié tireur de précision, il était déployé en Afghanistan pour la première fois.

Le second maître Benjamin Bourdet avait été récompensé par une citation avec attribution de la médaille d’or de la défense nationale. Il était également titulaire de la médaille de la défense nationale échelon argent avec agrafes Fusiliers Marins et Bâtiments de combat.

5 French soldiers killed by bomb blast

Five French soldiers have been killed in a bombing in Kapisa province, eastern Afghanistan today 13th July 2011. Four other French soldiers were seriously injured in the attack.

The French troops were guarding a meeting of local leaders in Joybar village when a terrorist suicide bomber detonated a bomb.

The five soldiers served with the French Airborne. Three were named as:

Lieutenant Thomas Gauvin
Warrant Officer Lawrence Marsol
Warrant Officer Emmanuel Techer
Warrant Officer Jean-Marc Gueniat
Master Corporal Sebastien Vermeille

French Para, Cyrille Hugodot

Para 1st Class Cyrille Hugodot, serving with the French 1st Parachute Regiment, was killed in action on Saturday 25th June 2011 during a battle with enemy forces in Tagab, Kapisa province.

His unit was protecting engineers deployed to find and destroy bombs and other explosive devices in the area, when they were attacked.

Paratrooper Hugodot, age 24, joined the RCP (Paras) in March 2009. He had previously deployed to Gabon and arrived in Afghanistan on 15th May this year. He leaves a wife and young daughter.

French Paratrooper Florian Morillon

French Paratrooper Florian Morillon was killed in action on Saturday 18th June 2011 while on foot patrol in the Tagab valley, Kapisa province. His unit was attacked by enemy forces and 1re-classe Morillon was critically injured in an exchange of fire.

He was evacuated by helicopter to the French Military hospital in Kabul, where he later died from his wounds.

Prior to serving in Afghanistan, he served in Gabon and the Central African Republic. He deployed to Afghanistan mid-May 2011.

1re-classe Morillon served with the 1st Parachute Regiment.

Master Corporal Guillaume Nunes-Patego

30 year old French Army Master Corporal Guillaume Nunes-Patego, was killed in action on 1st June 2011, in a gun battle with enemy forces in Kapisa province.

M-Cpl. Nunes-Patego, on his second deployment to Afghanistan, was on a reconnaissance mission near the village of Shinza when his unit came under fire.

M-Cpl. Nunes-Patego had previously served in Yugoslavia and Gabon.

French Marine Pfc. Cyril Louaisil

French Marine, Private First Class Cyril Louaisil, aged 24, was killed on 18th May 2011 by an accidental ammunition explosion in Kapisa, Afghanistan. Pfc. Louaisil served with the 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment.

During his career with the French Marines, he served in Guyana in 2008 and Senegal from 2009 to 2010. He arrived in Afghanistan in December 2010.

Pfc. Louaisil was single. He was awarded the Bronze Medal National Defense clip (TDM)

French Army Pfc. Loic Roperh

French Army engineer, Private 1st Class Loic Roperh, was killed on 10th May 2011 in the Tagab valley, Kapisa province while engaged in a mine clearing operation.

The 24 year old soldier joined the 13th Engineer Regiment in March 2009 and gained his combat engineer qualification in December 2010. He deployed to Afghanistan on 3rd April 2011.

Pfc. Roperh is the 57th French soldier to die in Afghanistan. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star.

French soldier killed in Afghanistan

A French soldier from the 13th Engineer Regiment was killed on Tuesday 10th May during a mine clearing operation in the Tagab valley, east of Kabul.

He was on a reconnaissance mission to clear a route to the eastern highlands when his unit was hit by the blast from a road mine.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy expressed his condolence to the soldier's family and reiterated France's support to the Afghan authority and people, the presidential office added.

UPDATED: Army engineer, Private 1st Class Loic Roperh

US Army helicopter pilot killed is identified

CWO Varnadore

The pilot of a helicopter that crashed in Kapisa, eastern Afghanistan on Saturday 23rd April 2011, has been identified as Chief Warrant Officer Terry L. Varnadore, aged 29, from Mills River, N.C.

He was stationed at Fort Drum in New York, serving with 1st Attack Reconn Battalion, 10th Mountain Division. He had served a tour in Iraq and was deployed to Afghanistan last year, his pastor the Rev. Paul Thompson told press.

He graduated from Appalachian State University in 2003 and enlisted in the Army in 2005.

His awards and decorations include the Air Medal, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Army Aviator Badge and the Combat Action Badge.

CWO Varnadore is survived by his wife and child, mother and father.

US Army Staff Sgt. James Justice

US Army Staff Sgt. James A. Justice, aged 32, from Grimes, Iowa died on 23rd April 2011 in Kapisa province, Afghanistan from wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire. 

He served with 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, based at Le Mars, Iowa.

Staff Sgt. Justice enlisted as an Infantryman in the Iowa Army National Guard in September 1998 at Denison, Iowa and completed Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training at Ft. Benning, Georgia in May 1999.  

He previously deployed to Operation Desert Spring (Kuwait) in 2001, the Multinational Force Observer peacekeeping mission (Sinai Peninsula, Egypt) in 2003-2004, and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005-2006.  Prior to his mobilization, he was employed full-time by the Iowa National Guard at Camp Dodge, Johnston, Iowa.

He leaves a wife and child.

French Marine, Corporal Alexandre Rivière

Cpl. Rivière

French Marine Corporal Alexandre Rivière, aged 23, was killed on Wednesday 20th April 2011 in Kapisa province, Afghanistan.

Cpl. Rivière served with the 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment since 2007. His patrol unit was hit by an improvised explosive device before Taliban militants opened fire. Nine French soldiers were injured in the attack.

Cpl. Rivière was married with one child.

A spokesman for the French Defence Ministry in Paris said ‘he was a remarkable and exemplary marine.’

French marine killed and 9 wounded

PARIS - The office of French President Nicolas Sarkozy says that a marine corporal was killed in Afghanistan and nine others were wounded in an explosion in the Kapisa region on Wednesday 20th April 2011.

They were patrolling in armoured vehicles when a bomb was detonated near by.

UPDATED