PARIS, Nov. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- A mosque in southern France was attacked by molotov cocktails Friday evening, but no one was injured, the Vaucluse regional government said in a statement.

    The attack occurred at around 6:15 p.m. (1715 GMT) in the town of Carpentras on Friday and the two home-made incendiary devices were thrown at the exterior of the mosque, according to the statement.

    The unidentified attacker was pursued by two witnesses but escaped, it added.

    It was not clear if the attack was directly linked to the unrest in the Paris suburbs.

    President Jacques Chirac, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy condemned the attack immediately.

    Chirac "expresses his solidarity with town's the Muslim community and assures them that light will be shed on the circumstances surrounding this attack," his office said in a statement.

    "All steps will be taken to identify the culprits and bring them to justice so that they answer for this particularly unacceptable act," Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin's office said in a statement early on Saturday.

    In a statement, the Interior Minister expressed solidarity withthe Muslim community of Carpentras, describing the attack as "bothshameful and unacceptable."

    "I wish to express my solidarity and that of the authorities ofthe Republic with the Muslims of Carpentras. The culprit must be firmly punished," said Sarkozy. Enditem