French Ambassador to India, Francois Richier, on Sunday stated that last week's terror attacks in Paris have attacked his nation's freedom and diversity, adding that the country will fight to defend them.
"The two attacks in Paris were attacks on the media and the Jewish community. In both cases, they represent the freedom and the diversity of our civilization. We will fight to defend them," Richier told ANI.
Speaking about the protest march organised later in the day in Paris, Richier said the terror attacks have united the politicians in France.
"Today is a day for grief and mourning but also a day for determination. We have one million people marching behind our President and all political leaders across party lines are present to protests [against terrorism]. Forty world leaders are also gathered in Paris to counter terrorism," he said.
"I would also like to thank the Indian Prime Minister, who this morning expressed solidarity with France and with those who are demonstrating today," he added.
Richier also said that in the aftermath of the attacks, France will participate in operations against terror organisations in the world.
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"On the global scale, we are joining hands with all the democracies in the world which are operating against terror. We will also participate in operations against the al-Qaeda and ISIS, both in Africa and Iraq. We have deployed troops, our Air Force and intelligence because when these terrorist groups expand, they can control large segments of a territory and that becomes very dangerous," he said.
Last week, two terror attacks in Paris shook the world. The first, an attack on French satire magazine Charlie Hebdo's offices on Wednesday, left 12 people dead, including two police officers, with a further five wounded. The second attack was a gunman taking several people hostage at a kosher supermarket on Friday, leaving four people dead.