Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejcinovic Buric on Thursday offered her condolences to the relatives of the victims of a knife attack in the French city of Nice
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th October, 2020) Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejcinovic Buric on Thursday offered her condolences to the relatives of the victims of a knife attack in the French city of Nice.
The mayor of the city has confirmed that three people were dead in the attack on a church.
"The Secretary General of the Council of Europe in #Strasbourg expresses her compassion and solidarity with those close to the victims of today's deadly attack in #Nice and with the French authorities and government," the Council of Europe said on Twitter.
President of European Parliament David Sassoli said he was "deeply shocked and saddened" by the news of the attack.
"We have a duty to stand together against violence and those that seek to incite and spread hatred," Sassoli said on Twitter.
The French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM), an official interlocutor with French authorities on Muslim religious activities, have also decried the assault.
"I strongly condemn the terrorist attack that occurred near the Notre-Dame Basilica in Nice. As a sign of mourning and solidarity with the victims and their loved ones, I call on the Muslims of France to cancel all the festivities of the Mawlid feast," CFCM tweeted.
French football club OGC Nice headquartered in the city said it "was shocked and horrified to learn of this morning's attack in the center of Nice".
"All my solidarity with France and the French. My thoughts are with the victims of the abominable #Nice attack and their loved ones. All of Europe is with you," President of the European Council Charles Michel also wrote on Twitter.
Latvia has joined widespread condemnation of the attack.
"#Latvia condemns terrorist attack in #Nice and stands in solidarity with #France. We must continue our fight against terrorists and extremists, and uphold our values, my profound condolences to the families and friends of the victim," Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics tweeted.
Rome has also expressed solidarity with France in the wake of the deadly attack.
"The cowardly attack that took place in Nice does not affect the common front in defense of the values of freedom and peace. Our certainties are stronger than fanaticism, hatred and terror. We embrace the families of the victims and our French brothers. We Are United!," Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte tweeted.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg denounced the attack, adding that "#NATO stands with our Ally France".
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, also condemned the assault.
"I condemn the heinous and brutal attack that has just taken place in Nice and wholeheartedly support France. My thoughts are with the victims of this hateful act. The whole of Europe is in solidarity with France. We remain united and determined in the face of barbarism and fanaticism," she said in a tweet.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and UK Foreign Minister Dominic Raab said they supported France in the wake of the terror act.
"I am appalled to hear the news from Nice this morning of a barbaric attack at the Notre-Dame Basilica. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families, and the UK stands steadfastly with France against terror and intolerance," Johnson tweeted.
Josep Borrell Fontelles, Vice-President of the European Commission, said he "was deeply shocked by the barbaric attacks in #Nice, #Avignon, @FranceinKSA [French Embassy in Saudi Arabia]" and added his voice to numerous expressions of solidarity with France.
Vatican has also condemned the killings in Nice, saying in a statement that Pope Francis was praying for all affected by the incident.
"The Pope is informed of the situation and is close to the mourning Catholic community. He prays for the victims and their loved ones, so that the violence may cease, so that we may return to look upon ourselves as brothers and sisters and not as enemies, so that the beloved people of France, united, may respond to evil with good," the statement read.
Muslim countries have also expressed their condolences to Paris. In particular, Turkey, engaged in a quarrel with France over French President Emmanuel Macron's recent speech on radical Islam, has also voiced its denouncement of the incident.
"We unequivocally condemn the heinous terrorist attack on the Notre-Dame Basilica in Nice. We offer our condolences to the French people," Turkey's presidential spokesman İbrahim Kalın wrote on Twitter.
Saudi Arabia, also rocked by a knife attack on a security guard at the French Consulate on its mainland, has reportedly joined the international solidarity with Paris, as well as the United Arab Emirates, whose Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash tweeted that "the speech of violence and extremism does not represent us [Muslims], and that the voice of reason and wisdom is our approach and our path".
The stabbing occurred inside the Notre-Dame basilica in Nice on Thursday morning, leaving three people killed and several injured. The alleged attacker, shouting radical slogans, was arrested by law enforcement troops and hospitalized due to a gunshot injury received during the police operation.
The Nice attack was followed by a knife-stab attempt in France's southeastern city of Avignon and another knife assault at the French Consulate in Saudi Arabia.�
