Lieutenant Antonio Fortunato, 35; Corporal Matteo Mureddu, 26; Corporal Gian Domenico Pistonami, 26; Corporal Davide Ricchiuto, 26; Sergeant Major Roberto Valente, 37; and Corporal Massimiliano Randino, 32. They were paratroopers of the “Folgore” brigade.
Thursday’s suicide attack in Kabul was the single heaviest loss of life to be suffered by Italy since two car bombs in Nassiriya, Iraq, killed twelve Carabinieri military police, five army soldiers and two civilians on November 12, 2003.
They died supporting the cause of freedom in Afghanistan and served their country. How should we honor them? They gave their lives for what they believed in, as their parents, wives and fiancées are witnessing in these hours. So, let’s honor them by never forgetting them and what they believed in and fought for. That’s also why, along with Ignazio La Russa, the Italian defense minister, and foreign minister Franco Frattini, I think that the best answer is that ”these cowardly killers will not stop us,” and that such attacks “will not deter us from helping the Afghan people consolidate its democratic aspirations.”
