French President Francois Hollande on Saturday pointed the finger at the Islamic State terrorist group for a coordinated assault of shootings and suicide bombings in Paris that claimed at least 127 lives, making it the deadliest ever attack on French soil.
Hollande, speaking the day after the attacks, declared the events an “act of war.”
Shortly after his remarks, the Islamic State claimed responsibility in an official statement, according to Reuters.
The wave of near simultaneous attacks that occurred in the capital city late Friday night local time included a suicide bombing outside a soccer stadium during a France vs. Germany match, several shootings in bars and restaurants in central Paris, and a mass shooting at a concert hall during a heavy metal band performance.
Earlier, Hollande had vowed, “We are going to lead a war which will be pitiless.”
Should the Islamic State prove the culprit, it will step up pressure on President Obama, who has struggled to settle on a strategy for combating the terrorist group.
As recently as Friday morning, Obama was touting progress in the fight against the Islamic State, noting a successful airstrike that was thought to have killed “Jihadi John,” a British citizen who carried out several murders on behalf of the Islamic State. He also claimed in a Thursday interview with George Stephanopoulos that the group was “contained.”
