France deploys soldiers for New Year celebrations amid ‘very high’ terror threat

The likelihood of a terrorist attack in France this New Year’s Eve is ‘very high’ because of the war in Israel and Palestine.

Up to 90,000 police officers and gendarmes have been deployed throughout the country in preparation.

Around 5,000 soldiers from Operation Sentinel, a military operation aimed at protecting France from terror threats, and 35,000 firefighters have also been dispatched.

Up to 1.5 million people are expected to celebrate New Year’s Eve at the Champs-Elysees in Paris and 6,000 officers will be on patrol.

For the first time police will be allowed to use drones as part of the operations.

Gerard Darmanin, the French interior minister, said: ‘I’ve requested a very strong mobilisation of police forces and the gendarmerie under the context of a very high terrorist threat, of course due to what’s happening in Israel and Palestine.’

He also noted that France had been a target for terrorist attacks over many years.

France is on its highest state of terrorism alert since a teacher was stabbed to death in Arras by a radicalised former student.

It came a week after Hamas launched its attack on Israel on October 7 sparking today’s conflict.

Police forces were also instructed by the interior minister to be extra vigilant over the Christmas period in France.

‘The presence of dissuasive law enforcement and the work of our intelligence services are extremely reassuring and effective for our fellow citizens who must continue to live and celebrate if they wish,’ he said.

While security forces will be mobilised to protect the country, Paris’s local, unarmed municipal police officers will go on strike to demand higher wages.

Up to 80% of other municipal police forces could strike across the country for similar reasons.

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