World leaders pledge support as France tightens its borders
World leaders expressed shock and sympathy as France declared a state of emergency and tightened its borders in response to a series of terrorist attacks in Paris Friday evening.
In a televised address to his nation, French President François Hollande said the country would stand firm and united against the attackers.
“As I speak, terrorist attacks of an unprecedented scale are taking place in the Paris region,” he said. “There are several dozen dead, lots more wounded. It’s horrific.”
At least 120 people were killed in shootings and explosions around Paris, many of them at a popular concert hall where patrons were taken hostage, police and medical officials said.
Explosions were also heard outside the Stade de France stadium north of Paris during a soccer match between France and Germany.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the series of attacks.
News of the attack spread quickly around the globe and world leaders were quick to decry the violence and offer their support.
U.S. President Barack Obama said his country was prepared to assist France in the wake of the attacks.
“This is an attack not just on Paris, an attack not just on the people of France, but this is an attack on all of humanity and the universal values we share,” he said during a news conference in Washington.
Obama said the United States would do whatever it took to “bring these terrorists to justice and to go after any terrorist networks who go after our people.”
UN Secretary- General Ban Kimoon condemned the attacks, calling them “despicable” and expressed his sympathies to the families of the victims.
Members of the European Union also stood by France in solidarity.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was “deeply shocked” by the attacks.
“My thoughts in these hours are with the victims of these apparently terrorist attacks, their relatives, and all people in Paris,” she said in a statement. A move to completely close France’s borders would have been a shift in the age of the EU’s open border policy.
Under the Schengen Agreement, 26 nations — the majority of which are EU members — gradually abolished checks at internal borders, al- lowing passport-free movement among the countries.
The agreement, which went into effect in 1995, allows members to reinstate border controls in cases of national security.
“We have to assure ourselves that no one can enter to commit any act, whatever that may be,” said Hollande, who also announced he would not be attending this weekend’s G20 meetings in Turkey.
However, late Friday evening France’s foreign ministry announced that flights and trains in and out of the country would continue under heightened security.
Neighbouring Belgium announced it would impose increased checks on all road, rail and air travel arrivals from France.
France, which shares borders with eight other countries, did close its border with Italy earlier this year in a bid to stop migrants and also closed multiple borders after terrorist attacks in 1996.
The country’s borders were not closed during the Charlie Hebdo attacks 10 months ago in which journalists from the satirical magazine were targeted and killed.
Friday’s attacks in Paris came just three days after French authorities announced they had discovered and dismantled a planned attack at a naval base in the southern city of Toulon. Last week, France announced that it was increasing border controls in connection with the upcoming climate change conference sponsored by the United Nations that will run from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.
Tightening the border was just one security measure rapidly put in place during Friday night’s national emergency. More than 1,500 members of France’s military were sent to the city and Parisians were told to stay home and remain indoors as a citywide curfew was initiated.
Major Metro stations were also reported closed including the one at the Gare du Nord, the city’s main train station.