The image shows Ros, the military dog of Sergeant-Chef Anicet Girardin, who passed away on April 22, 2026, from injuries sustained during an ambush against UN peacekeepers in Lebanon. Ros attended a national tribute in Suippes, France, on April 28, 2026.
A very moving image. Ros, the German Shepherd who accompanied Sergeant Anicet Girardin on his missions, was awarded the Cross of Military Valor with a bronze star on Tuesday, April 26, during a national tribute to the fallen soldier at the age of 31.
The dog has since been retired and reunited with his family, according to his regiment. Anicet Girardin leaves behind his partner, also a soldier in the 132nd RIC, and a two-year-old son.
The ceremony, held late morning at the 132nd Canine Infantry Regiment in Suippes where Anicet Girardin served, was attended by the Minister of the Armed Forces, Catherine Vautrin, along with the Chief of Staff of the Army, General Pierre Schill.
“The nation bows before Sergeant Anicet Girardin (…), the 145th to die for France in Lebanon since 1978,” said Catherine Vautrin. She paid tribute to him as a man “conscientious, discreet, of absolute reliability” and who was “appreciated by all.”
“You will forever be an example of courage, loyalty, and honor,” she added. During the ceremony, the soldier posthumously received the Military Medal, the Cross of Military Valor with a bronze palm, and was made a Knight of the Legion of Honor.
Promoted Sergeant Posthumously
Anicet Girardin enlisted in 2016 with the 132nd Canine Infantry Regiment (RIC) in Suippes, specializing in aiding in the search and detection of explosives. The Corporal Sergeant, posthumously promoted to Sergeant, had been deployed since January 23 in southern Lebanon as the deputy leader of a specialized canine explosives detection group within the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
On April 18, during a reconnaissance mission to resupply an isolated UN peacekeeping post, his patrol “was attacked by an armed group,” as explained by his regiment. This attack led to the death of Sergeant Florian Montorio and injuries to three soldiers, including Anicet Girardin, who came to aid his commander. Anicet Girardin succumbed to his injuries on the following Wednesday after being repatriated to France.
French authorities and the UN attributed the attack to the pro-Iranian Hezbollah movement, which denied any involvement. The death of Anicet Girardin “highlights the tribute that France pays, its role, and responsibility, in this case within UNIFIL where it has been for decades,” Emmanuel Macron stated during his visit to Andorra.
“We expect a clear condemnation of the perpetrators of this attack, and especially that the investigations are conducted properly. But France can be proud of the role it plays in Lebanon and for peace,” added the President of the Republic.
