France under attack: Macron on Church killings

October 30, 2020 08:25

After increasing France's security status to the highest level, President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday said that the country is under attack following the incident of stabbing in the city of Nice that left at least three people dead and several injured.

'It is France which is under attack. I have therefore decided that our soldiers will be more mobilized in the coming hours. As part of Operation Sentinel, we will go from 3,000 to 7,000 soldiers,' Macron tweeted.

In a subsequent tweet, he added, 'You have the support of the whole Nation. Our country is our values, that everyone can believe or not believe, that each religion can be exercised. Our determination is absolute. Actions will follow to protect all of our fellow citizens.'

Macron's comment came after a knife-wielding man killed two women and a man at the Notre Dame Basilica in Nice and injured several others on Thursday.

The police detained the attacker and launched an investigation.

The attack in Nice was followed by a knife-stabbing attempt at the southeastern French city of Avignon and another one at the French Consulate in Saudi Arabia.Soon after the attacks were reported, several world leaders came out in support of France.

While condemning the attacks, President Donald Trump said that the United States is standing with its oldest ally in this fight.

'Our hearts are with the people of France. America stands with our oldest ally in this fight. These radical Islamic terrorist attacks must stop immediately. No country, France or otherwise can long put up with it!' Trump tweeted.

Saudi Arabia also condemned the attack that occurred near the Notre Dame church in Nice.

'We strongly condemn and denounce the terrorist attack that occurred near the Notre Dame church in Nice, France, which resulted in the death and injury of several people,' Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia tweeted.

'We reiterate the Kingdom's utter rejection of such extremist acts that are inconsistent with all religions, human beliefs and common sense. We affirm the importance of rejecting practices that generate hatred, violence and extremism,' MOFA Saudi Arabia added.

Amid the ongoing killings in France, several videos surfaced on the internet showing how a crowd gathered in Berlin and shouted 'Allahu Akbar' to protest against French President Macron.

Meanwhile, Macron has called for unity in the country, "I call for the unity of all." He said in a tweet earlier today that "Whatever your religion, believer or not, we must unite at these times. Do not give in to the spirit of division.

"This killings in France come days after Samuel Paty, a school teacher, was beheaded by an 18-year-old teenager on the outskirts of Paris after he showed cartoons depicting the Prophet during a lesson.

Paty was posthumously granted France's highest award, the Legion d'Honneur, and commemorated in the national ceremony at the Sorbonne University in Paris. -- ANI

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