The funeral for the six was held today in Rome, at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was among the political leaders present.
The Pope sent a telegram, via his secretary of state Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, that stated that he was “deeply pained by the tragic terrorist attempt in Kabul in which six Italian soldiers, along with numerous civilians, lost their lives.”
The fatalities mark the biggest loss for the country since it sent troops to the war there.
