"
It is obviously a blow that one takes in the belly
": the day after the death of two of his family, mortally wounded in Mali by an artisanal mine, of which a young woman non-commissioned officer, the 2nd regiment of hussars of 'Haguenau, Alsace, is in shock and remembers their familiar faces.
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Monday, back from their Christmas leave, the soldiers of the "
2e RH
" will form "
body on the place of arms around the flag
" of the regiment which will rise before being half-masted, told AFP the patron of these 900 men and women, Colonel Maurice Robert de Saint Victor.
Two of them will be missed forever: Brigadier Loïc Risser, 24, and Sergeant Yvonne Huynh, 33, mother of a young boy and first woman in the French army killed in the Sahel since the outbreak of the Serval operation in 2013.
Their deaths brought to 50 the number of French soldiers killed in the Sahel in the anti-jihadist operations Serval then Barkhane, according to the army staff.
In the “
Quartier Estienne
”, the chilling bell will ring, then Colonel Robert de Saint Victor will offer his condolences before explaining to the soldiers how to “
resume the mission
” for which their two comrades gave their lives.
In this "
specialized regiment which works in the depths of the enemy
" to gather intelligence, Sergeant Yvonne Huynh and Brigadier Loïc Risser each occupied a very special place, he explains.
The first, born in Trappes (Yvelines) and who was carrying out her second mission in Mali, first ensured "
the security of those who collect information
" before fulfilling this function herself by becoming a non-commissioned officer.
The second, born in Saint-Louis (Haut-Rhin) and who was already on his third engagement in Mali, had become "
observer, specialist in discreet long-distance or very short-distance photography
".
He was "
recognized for this talent
", underlines the chief of staff of the 2e RH.
To read also: “Barkhane” challenged and bereaved in the Sahel
"
They were ready
"
The officer remembers with a smile, behind her mask, the young woman "
who, being small, often marched behind her squadron and who, despite the size of the fellows who preceded her, not only continued to sing but to frolic to try to follow them
”.
But he especially salutes "
her qualities as a fighter, a fighter
".
"
My regiment is fortunate to have many women in its ranks who are hired without any restrictions because they have shown from the training, which is long, and from the training, that they were competent
" , he emphasizes.
Of the brigadier, he will remember his "
friendly discretion
", a "
familiar face
" but also his engagement in "
the military equestrian section
" of a regiment which will have had "
the chance to see them born
", 'one like the other, to the military function.
To their relatives, it was necessary to announce the terrible news.
In these circumstances, "
we must find the right words and take the time to listen and remain silent to accompany the pain
" of the families, explains the colonel modestly.
"
The equation of death is part of our life
" as soldiers, he continues, "
we can receive it as we can give it, so it should not be trivial
."
To read also: Christmas in Barkhane: "The men show ingenuity"
"
We lost two comrades
", adds Colonel Robert de Saint Victor, not "
anonymous
" but
endearing
"
personalities
", victims of the "
very underhand threat
" of improvised explosive devices, these artisanal mines hidden on the tracks and responsible the deaths of dozens of French and Malian soldiers.
But, underlines the boss of 2e RH, "
in both cases, whether it is the brigadier or the sergeant, it was a commitment in all conscience, they were ready
".
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