>>21868741Those are volunteers, though. One can barely call them hired guns or mercenaries. they work for 0$/month and get a gun sponsored by the gubmint(tm).
The high mortality certainly comes from worse equipment and lack of training, but this is to be expected.
Besson is experienced and probably makes a good officer.
Comparison with volunteers in the Bosnian war:
447 Foreign Volunteers from 35 different countries.
Killed in action ( K.I.A. ) = 63
Wounded in action ( W.I.A.) = 74