The French Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal, announced on Sunday March 24 to “raise” the Vigipirate plan in the country to its highest level, “emergency attack”. A decision taken after the attack on Friday by the Islamic State jihadist group in a concert hall in the suburbs of Moscow.
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“ Given the Islamic State’s claim of responsibility for the attack and the threats weighing on our country, we have decided to raise the Vigipirate posture to its highest level: attack emergency », indicated the head of government on the social network X (formerly Twitter) after a defense council. Council which took place at the Élysée, which was led by the president Emmanuel Macron and whose purpose was “ the Moscow attack and its consequences “.
“ The responsibility for the Moscow attack comes from the Islamic State in Khorasan. However, this organization threatens France and has been involved in several recent foiled attack plans in several European countries, including Germany and France. », specified Matignon, who added that Gabriel Attal “ asked the Secretary General of Defense and National Security, under his authority, to convene a meeting tomorrow (Monday) first thing bringing together all the security services impacted by the increase in the Vigipirate level “.
In January, the Vigipirate plan was downgraded to level 2 “reinforced security – attack risk”.
Following the attack in Moscow, a Defense and National Security Council was convened this evening at the Elysée by the President of the Republic.
Given the Islamic State’s claim of responsibility for the attack and the threats weighing on our country, we have decided to…
— Gabriel Attal (@GabrielAttal) March 24, 2024
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The attack that occurred Friday evening at Crocus City Hall, near Moscow, left at least 137 dead and 182 injured according to the latest report. Investigators continue to search the rubble of the building housing the concert hall, ravaged by a gigantic fire started by the attackers. It is the deadliest attack in Russia in twenty years and the bloodiest to have been claimed by the IS group in Europe.
This Sunday March 24 was a day of national mourning in Russia. On Saturday, the Russian president Vladimir Poutinein his televised address, did not mention the Islamic organization but put forward the Ukrainian trail, specifying that the alleged attackers had been arrested “ as they headed towards Ukraine “. Volodymyr Zelenskythe Ukrainian president, rejected these accusations and pointed out in Vladimir Putin a desire to “ blame » about his country.
Read alsoMoscow attack: Putin evokes Ukraine, which refutes any role in the killing claimed by ISIS