France deploys 15,000 security forces to boost security

Published January 12, 2015
Thousands of people wave national flags and hold placards that read “I am Charlie” at the Place de la Nation in Paris Sunday, Jan 11, 2015. - AP
Thousands of people wave national flags and hold placards that read “I am Charlie” at the Place de la Nation in Paris Sunday, Jan 11, 2015. - AP

PARIS: France is deploying 15,000 police and security forces to bolster security around “sensitive” sites and Jewish schools in the country, in the wake of terrorist attacks that left 17 dead, authorities said Monday.

Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said 10,000 soldiers will be called up from Tuesday to protect “sensitive sites in the whole country from tomorrow (Tuesday) evening”, given the “scale of threats” on France.

The troop deployment would come on top of 5,000 police and security forces already mobilised Monday to protect some 717 schools and Jewish sites in the country.

Le Drian unveiled the fresh measures after an emergency meeting called by President Francois Hollande as attention turned to preventing a repeat of France's bloodiest attacks in half a century.

“This is the first time that our troops have been mobilised to such an extent on our own soil,” the defence minister said, adding that he would prefer not to list the sites which are deemed sensitive.

Le Drian said the mobilisation is going on “thanks to a high level of reactivity of our forces and the professionalism” showed by the team.

Authorities are still hunting for possible accomplices of the three gunmen who carried out the three-day killing spree that began with a massacre of 12 people at the Charlie Hebdo satirical weekly.

Opinion

Editorial

Agriculture tax
16 Nov, 2024

Agriculture tax

THE Punjab government has taken the lead in amending its agricultural income tax law, bringing existing AIT rates ...
Genocidal violence
16 Nov, 2024

Genocidal violence

A RECENTLY released UN report confirms what many around the world already know: that Israel has been using genocidal...
Breathless Punjab
16 Nov, 2024

Breathless Punjab

PUNJAB’s smog crisis has effectively spiralled out of control, with air quality readings shattering all past...
Last call
Updated 15 Nov, 2024

Last call

PTI should hardly be turning its "final" protest into a "do or die" occasion.
Mini budget talk
15 Nov, 2024

Mini budget talk

NO matter how much Pakistan’s finance managers try to downplay the prospect of a ‘mini budget’ to pull off a...
Diabetes challenge
15 Nov, 2024

Diabetes challenge

AMONGST the many public health challenges confronting Pakistan, diabetes arguably does not get the attention it...