A day of national homage. On Monday, a ceremony is held at the Invalides, in Paris, in memory of the 13 Operation Barkhane soldiers who died in Mali on November 26, when two helicopters collided. 2,000 people are expected in the courtyard to honor their memory. The accident caused a lot of emotion in France, where the army had not recorded such a loss since the 58 dead of the attack of 1983 against the French headquarters Drakkar in Beirut.
The three infos to remember:
- Nearly 2,000 people, including schoolchildren, are expected in the Invalides courtyard
- Emmanuel Macron will deliver a eulogy at 3 pm
- The Legion of Honor will be awarded to posthumous soldiers
Emmanuel Macron asked that the ceremony be more accessible than usual. From 11:30, the French will be able to collect the coffins on the Alexandre III bridge. Access to Invalides will be open to the public from 13:30 to 14:30. The President of the Republic will make a funeral eulogy at 15h, before giving the 13 soldiers the legion of honor posthumously.
A giant screen will retransmit the tribute on the esplanade des Invalides. Schoolchildren from Pau, Varces and Gap will be present at the Invalides, alongside mayors and flag bearers of the cities of the mourning regiments. "It is the whole nation and all generations that must be involved in this tribute," explained the entourage of the president.