KRG condemns IS terror attack in France, pays tribute to victims
“We express our full solidarity with [the families] and condemn in the strongest terms the cowardly terrorist operation,” a KRG statement read.
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on Sunday condemned the recent terror attack in southern France which led to the death of several people.
“Our condolences to the families of all the victims,” a statement released on the KRG’s website read. “We express our full solidarity with [the families] and condemn in the strongest terms the cowardly terrorist operation.”
On Friday, a man who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) stormed a supermarket in the southwestern town of Trebes where he held hostage several civilians before security forces arrived and killed him.
The assailant, identified by French authorities as 25-year-old Moroccan-born Redouane Lakdim, first killed one person before stealing a car and shooting a group of police officers jogging.
He then entered the supermarket indicating that he was an “IS soldier who was ready to die for Syria,” Reuters reported.
“We pay tribute to the family of the French officer who died from his wounds after he sacrificed his life to save civilians during the terrorist attack,” the KRG statement added, referring to a law enforcement officer who swapped himself for one of the hostages.
The 44-year-old officer, identified as Lieutenant Colonel Arnaud Beltrame, later died in hospital from his injuries after he was shot three times by Lakdim.
A mass was held on Sunday paying tribute to the victims of the attack with the participation of the local Muslim community.
Since 2015, over 240 people have been killed in France by IS-inspired attacks. The most recent attack was in October when a Tunisian-born man stabbed two young women to death in Marseille before French soldiers shot and killed him.