Translated automatically by AI from the Italian original.
PRIOLO GARGALLO (SYRACUSE) / NEWS – The community of Priolo Gargallo paused to honour the memory of the victims of the Nassiriya massacre and pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for international peace and security.
The commemorative ceremony, jointly organised by the Municipality of Priolo Gargallo and the Lamba Doria Cultural Association, took place today in the presence of the area’s civil and military authorities. During the gathering, a tricolour wreath was laid at the foot of the monument erected in honour of the fallen.
[Image: A moment from the commemoration at the monument to the fallen in Priolo Gargallo]
Speeches by the institutions and the Lamba Doria association
During the ceremony, the organisers’ speeches highlighted the value of the daily service performed by the armed forces and international missions:
“Our thoughts go to those who protected us in the past and those who continue to do so today, both at home and abroad,” said Rosario Pulvirenti, the Priolo Gargallo group representative of the Lamba Doria Cultural Association.
Mayor Pippo Gianni added his message, reaffirming the entire community’s closeness to the women and men committed to protecting society:
“To those who today and in the future will continue to protect us and our families, we owe all our gratitude and recognition,” the mayor stressed.
Remembering the 12 November 2003 attack
The commemoration renewed the memory of the tragic attack that took place in Iraq on 12 November 2003, when a tanker lorry loaded with explosives was driven into the entrance of the Italian Carabinieri base in Nassiriya, triggering the explosion of the ammunition depot.
In that massacre, 28 people lost their lives, including 19 Italians: 12 Carabinieri, 5 Army soldiers, an international aid worker and a director. It was a particularly painful loss for the province of Syracuse and for the whole of Sicily, which lost seven of its own in the attack.
