France's Interior Ministry said on Friday that it has asked 45 countries to send police officers and civilians to help provide security for this summer's Paris Olympics.
Separately, France's Ministry of Defense has requested a “small number” of foreign military personnel for “very specific” missions during the Games.
France made the request last week in January, before a terrorist attack claimed by ISIS-K on a Moscow concert hall that killed at least 143 people.
“The security situation, especially in recent weeks, means that extreme vigilance is being taken regarding the security of the Olympic Games,” a French military official said.
France is not used to terrorist attacks either.
Even without the Olympics, France has been a frequent target of terrorist attacks in recent years, with the largest attacks occurring in Paris in 2015 and Nice a year later. In early December, a German tourist was killed in an attack believed to be carried out by Islamists near the Eiffel Tower, and the assailant injured two more victims with a hammer.
However, it is standard practice for major sporting events that France will request around 2,185 reinforcements to ensure the Olympics go ahead.
Even before the Moscow attacks, Germany and France had agreed to send security personnel to strengthen security in each other's countries during the European Championships and Olympics.
France will send 200 military police to the 2022 soccer World Cup in Qatar and welcomed 160 officers from other European security forces to the Rugby World Cup, which France hosted last year.
How will France secure the Olympics?
The country plans to deploy approximately 45,000 French police and security forces, 20,000 private security personnel, and approximately 15,000 soldiers daily to protect the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which will be held from late July to August. is.
Organizers are finalizing security plans.
On Tuesday, Vincent Strubel, head of the French Cybersecurity Agency, said: “We are preparing for any eventuality, including attacks from countries that for some reason wish to disrupt the Games or may try to do so.” said. If we don't cancel the opening ceremony, there will be problems with public transportation. ”
French government officials said 35 countries had responded positively to the request for reinforcements.
“The Polish Armed Forces will participate in the United Nations coalition established by France to support the preparation and security of the 2024 Summer Olympics,” Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamisz posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday.
The country plans to send troops, including sniffer dog trainers.
Diplomats said other European allies, including Britain and Italy, also planned to send dozens of police officers to help patrol the streets.
In addition to France's measures, countries such as Israel and the United States will also deploy security personnel to ensure the safety of their teams during the tournament.
lo/wd (AP, Reuters)
