ĀDAŽI (LATVIA) – Four Italian Army personnel from the 11° Reggimento Bersaglieri were injured late on Friday afternoon, September 25 during a live-fire exercise at the Ādaži training area in Latvia. The personnel were in the Baltic country as part of NATO’s Forward Land Forces (FLF) mission.
How the incident unfolded
According to the Ministry of Defense, the incident occurred for reasons that are still under investigation. During the training maneuvers, rounds were fired from a non-automatic weapon mounted on an Italian military vehicle, striking a second Italian Army vehicle carrying the four bersaglieri.
Emergency assistance was provided immediately at the scene: the injured personnel were stabilized and urgently evacuated to a hospital in the capital, Riga, where they are currently hospitalized for further examinations and treatment.
TRAINING INCIDENT IN LATVIA
— Ministry of Defense (@MinisteroDifesa) September 25, 2026
Late this afternoon, during a live-fire exercise at the Ādaži training area in Latvia, an incident occurred involving four Italian Army personnel from the 11° Reggimento… pic.twitter.com/aWBKwUoddi
The condition of the service members
Official sources confirm that none of the four Bersaglieri is currently in life-threatening condition, although one of them has more serious injuries. The families of all the service members involved were promptly informed.
Military investigations were immediately launched to reconstruct the exact sequence of events and determine the source of the error or technical malfunction that led to the tragic friendly-fire incident.
Reactions from senior military leadership and the Ministry of Defense
Defense Minister Guido Crosetto is closely monitoring developments, remaining in constant contact with the Chief of the Defense Staff, General Luciano Portolano, and the commander of COVI (Comando Operativo di Vertice Interforze), Lieutenant General Giovanni Maria Iannucci.
«The Minister, military leadership and the entire Defense establishment stand alongside their injured comrades and their families, wishing them a speedy recovery,» reads the official statement released by the Ministry.
The context: the NATO mission in Latvia
The Italian contingent involved is part of the NATO Multinational Brigade Latvia, a Canadian-led formation headquartered in Ādaži. The mission is part of the Alliance's enhanced deterrence and defense posture along its eastern flank following heightened tensions in Eastern Europe.
The 11° Reggimento Bersaglieri operates alongside the Latvian armed forces and numerous international allies, including Spain, Poland and Albania, to ensure operational readiness, interoperability and a continuous presence on the Alliance's border.
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