Beirut International Airport witnessed an official tribute ceremony for French peacekeeper Master Sergeant Florian Montorio, who was killed in a tragic incident in the Ghandoorieh area of southern Lebanon, before his body was transferred to France, in the presence of Lebanese, UN and French military and diplomatic officials.
During the ceremony, UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Diodato Abagnara delivered a speech in which he said:
"We stand with you today… and we stand before you to honor you."
"As your commander, I speak to you with the utmost respect and with a heart heavy with sorrow. Florian, your service does not end here; it continues in what we go on to do as soldiers and peacekeepers. We all bear the responsibility of carrying on."
He added: "You gave everything you had for peace on this land. You have all our respect."
He also addressed the family of the late soldier, saying:
"We stand together in grief, with respect and gratitude on behalf of UNIFIL."
Montorio, 39, was married and the father of two daughters. He was posthumously awarded medals by the United Nations and the Lebanese Army in recognition of his service in southern Lebanon.
For his part, UNIFIL Chief of Staff Major General Paul Sanzey affirmed that Montorio embodied France’s “continuous and steadfast” commitment to the UNIFIL mission since its establishment in 1978, noting his country’s continued support for the international mission.
According to details of the incident, a UNIFIL patrol was clearing unexploded ordnance to reopen roads leading to its positions when it came under fire, killing the soldier and wounding three others.
UNIFIL announced that it had opened an investigation to determine the circumstances of the incident, calling on the Lebanese government to conduct a swift inquiry to identify those responsible and hold them accountable.
