The French Ministry of the Armed Forces announced the tragic death of Senior Sergeant Thibaud Breteau. The 33-year-old weapons mechanic, who served daily at the Cazaux air base in Gironde, died on Monday from injuries sustained during maintenance work in Jordan. The accident occurred as part of Operation Chammal, targeting Islamic State structures in Iraq and Syria.

Death of an Air Force Non-Commissioned Officer

Thibaud Breteau, a 33-year-old mechanic from Air Base 120 in Cazaux, died while serving as a senior sergeant on a foreign military mission.

Accident at a Base in Jordan

The tragedy occurred in Jordan during equipment maintenance on February 14; the injured soldier died on Monday, February 16.

Operation Against ISIS

The serviceman was participating in Operation Chammal, which aims to combat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria through air operations.

The French armed forces are in mourning following the death of Senior Sergeant Thibaud Breteau, who lost his life while on a foreign mission. The tragic event occurred on February 14 at the French air base in Jordan, where the 33-year-old non-commissioned officer was serving as part of Operation Chammal. According to an official statement from the Ministry of the Armed Forces, the soldier was seriously injured during routine technical equipment maintenance. Despite immediate medical assistance and an attempted medical evacuation, the mechanic's life could not be saved. Thibaud Breteau was an experienced weapons specialist, permanently assigned to Air Base 120 in Cazaux in the Gironde department. His deployment to the Middle East began on January 16 of this year in the ammunition section. The Air and Space Force highlighted the professionalism and dedication of the deceased, who devoted his entire career to serving his country under French skies and beyond its borders. France maintains an air base in Jordan to conduct airstrikes and reconnaissance missions over territories once controlled by ISIS jihadists. This presence is a key element in stabilizing the region after the fall of the caliphate. This accident sheds light on the dangers faced by technical support personnel at foreign outposts, not only during direct combat but also during daily logistics. The defense ministry extended condolences to the family and comrades of the deceased soldier. The incident is particularly painful for the communities of Gironde and Charente-Maritime, with which Thibaud Breteau was professionally and personally connected through years of service in the non-commissioned officer corps. „Senior Sergeant Thibaud Breteau was seriously injured during a loading operation at an air base in the Levant and subsequently died from his injuries.” — Ministry of the Armed Forces Statement Breteau's death is a reminder of France's continued engagement in the fight against terrorism in the Middle East, a region commonly referred to by French diplomacy and the military as the Levant. The operation, ongoing for over a decade, still requires the presence of hundreds of specialized soldiers ensuring the readiness of the air fleet operating over Iraq.

Mentioned People

  • Thibaud Breteau — Air Force senior sergeant, weapons mechanic, who died while serving in Jordan.