Javelin system from the Polish army Photo: AA/ABACA / Abaca Press / Profimedia
A Belgian soldier on a NATO mission in Lithuania died on Friday during an exercise, Belgian officials announced late Saturday, according to Politico.
The Belgian Federal Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation into the incident.
The soldier was injured during a mortar exercise and died in hospital on Saturday, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken and Chief of Staff Frederik Vansina confirmed in a joint statement.
Francken wrote on X that he was “deeply saddened by this tragic accident,” sending “thoughts and solidarity” to friends and fellow servicemen.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, for his part, expressed his condolences in a message, saying that Belgian servicemen serving with NATO in Lithuania “make an invaluable contribution to the security of our nation and the entire Alliance.” He added: “Their dedication and sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
The Belgian soldier, whose identity has not been made public, was part of the Brasschaat Artillery Battalion. Nearly 200 Belgian soldiers have been deployed to Lithuania since the summer as part of NATO's Forward Land Forces mission, a series of multinational battle groups stationed in eight Eastern European countries.
The Belgian federal prosecutor's office announced that it had opened an investigation into the soldier's death, without giving further details, according to the Belga agency. A federal magistrate and two federal police investigators specializing in military affairs investigations went to the scene on Saturday, VRT reported.
The Belgian Ministry of Defense has also opened an internal investigation to establish the exact circumstances of the accident, according to media reports.
