A French soldier was killed in an attack in Iraq, President Emmanuel Macron said Friday, in what appears to be France’s first combat death linked to the war with Iran and the first confirmed loss of a NATO service member outside the United States.

Master Sgt. Arnaud Frion of the 7th Alpine Chasseur Battalion, based in Varces, was killed in the Erbil region, according to Macron. Several other French troops were wounded in the same incident.

Six French soldiers providing counter-terrorism training in northern Iraq were injured in a drone strike in the Erbil area, which followed attacks targeting an Italian base nearby. It was not immediately clear if Frion was among the soldiers initially reported wounded.

Macron described the attack on French forces as “unacceptable,” emphasizing that the troops have been engaged in operations in Iraq since 2015. He noted that their mission is strictly focused on counterterrorism and added that the ongoing conflict in Iran “cannot justify such attacks.”

No additional details have been released about the circumstances of the assault or the parties responsible.

The French military loss comes as U.S. forces continue to sustain casualties in the region. U.S. Central Command has confirmed seven U.S. personnel killed in action, with one additional service member dying from a health-related incident.

Frion’s death underscores the ongoing risks for NATO and allied forces operating in northern Iraq amid rising tensions and hostilities connected to the broader Iran conflict.