French PM urges high vigilance after Manchester attack

Source: Xinhua| 2017-05-23 18:06:27|Editor: Tian Shaohui
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PARIS, May 23 (Xinhua) -- French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on Tuesday called for increased vigilance after a suicide bombing attack struck the British city of Manchester and left scores of casualties.

"I call my compatriots to the utmost vigilance in front of a threat that is more than ever present," Philippe said in a press release.

"The most cowardly terrorism has again struck, as in Paris more than a year ago, a place of show targeting more specifically and knowingly young men and women gathered for a moment of feast and joy," he said.

He also expressed solidarity with the British government and people after the attack on a concert by American singer Ariana Grande at the Manchester Arena.

At least 22 people were killed and 59 injured in the attack on Monday night, according to the Greater Manchester Police.

France remains in a state of emergency and on high alert over possible terrorist attacks due to its military intervention in Syria, Iraq and the Sahel region.

It imposed emergency security rules in the wake of the 2015 attacks which killed 130 people, but several more attacks have occurred since, with the bloodiest on Bastille Day last year in Nice where a man drove his truck into a crowd, killing 86 people.

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