On October 23, 1983, Lebanon had been plunged into a destructive war for several years. That day, a tragic event forever marked the history of the country and of France in particular. 58 French paratroopers lost their lives in the explosion of the Drakkar, a building housing one of the French cantonments of the Multinational Security Force in Beirut.
The Multinational Security Force was created in September 1982 by the UN at the request of the Lebanese government. Its objective was to protect the Lebanese civilian population, to support President Amine Gemayel and the army in the restoration of their authority. The troops involved came mainly from the United States, Italy and France. The French contingent included around 2,000 soldiers, including young volunteer conscripts from May 1983.
On that sad day in October, two attacks were carried out almost simultaneously. The first targeted the headquarters of the American army, causing 241 casualties, including 220 marines. The second was directed against the Drakkar, causing the death of 58 French paratroopers. Among the victims were also the wife of the building caretaker and her four children.
The explosion was so violent that the building collapsed, trapping some of the injured under the rubble. In the following days, soldiers and civilians searched the rubble for survivors, but the toll was heavy. Only 15 seriously injured soldiers survived the explosion.
France was deeply shocked by this tragedy and President François Mitterrand went to Beirut to pay tribute to the victims and express his solidarity with the French troops. The coffins of the killed soldiers were gathered at Les Invalides, during a moving ceremony.
In the days following the attack, the United States attributed the preparation of the double attack to Lebanese Hezbollah, with Iran as the sponsor. However, over time, doubts and questions emerged. Some survivors and witnesses claim to have seen no vehicle enter the French paratroopers’ stronghold, calling into question the official version putting forward the use of a suicide truck.
Thus, 40 years after this tragedy, many questions remain unanswered. The victims’ families and survivors continue to demand the truth about what really happened that day. They also demand that the memory of their comrades who fell in Lebanon be honored.
In conclusion, the Drakkar attack in Beirut in 1983 remains engraved in the history of France and Lebanon. Beyond the figures and the controversies, it is important to remember these soldiers who gave their lives for peace and stability in a war-torn region.