Emmanuel Macron in front of soldiers in Nice after the attack on Notre-Dame basilica -

SIPA

  • After the attack in Nice, Emmanuel Macron reinforced Operation Sentinel with 4,000 men, which had previously mobilized 3,000 soldiers.

  • How is this reinforcement organized and what impact will it have on the Armies?

  • "20 Minutes" takes stock.

This Thursday, an Islamist attack in Nice left three dead and several injured in the Notre-Dame basilica.

As a consequence of this second attack in less than 15 days, after the one committed against Professor Samuel Paty on Friday, October 16, the Vigipirate plan becomes an emergency attack.

In addition to a reinforcement of police officers of gendarmes, in particular in the city of Nice, Emanuel Macron decided to pass the “mobilization within the framework of the operation Sentinel from 3,000 to 7,000 soldiers on French soil”, in order to “protect all places of worship.

In particular, of course, the churches so that All Saints' Day can take place under the conditions that are due ”.

The president also promised that the schools would be protected "for the coming back to school".

20 Minutes

takes stock of the sentinel operation and the implications of this reinforcement.

What is Operation Sentinel?

Operation Sentinel was set up in 2015, following the Charlie Hebdo attacks on January 7, 8 and 9.

Soldiers are requisitioned, trained and responsible for ensuring the security of sites deemed to be exposed to the terrorist threat.

The latter are very diverse: places of worship, schools, monuments, stations, airports, etc.

The soldiers of this operation are specially trained to face the terrorist threat.

The number of soldiers mobilized for this operation is currently between “3,000 and 3,200”, confides Frédéric Barbry, spokesperson for the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces.

But after Emmanuel Macron's statements, the 4,000 additional soldiers "are preparing or are already traveling to join those already present.

The mobilization was immediately set up.

"

Who are and where do these 4,000 additional soldiers come from?

“They are almost exclusively soldiers of the Army, informs Frédéric Barbry, who are already trained for this operation and on alert for several months.

"Either in garrison or already on the ground, they are located in France, allowing" their availability as quickly as possible.

"It is therefore important to note it," there will be no impact on the external operations of France, nor of French soldiers repatriated for this mission.

"

This mobilization is made easier by the context outside the summer and the health crisis, “there are therefore no soldiers mobilized for beach surveillance or mass events.

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Will the reinforced sentinel operation last after All Saints?

Certainly, Emmanuel Macron insisted at length for All Saints' Day.

Nevertheless, “the reinforcement of 4,000 soldiers will continue even after Sunday.

There is no fixed date for the moment, ”recalls Frédéric Barbry.

What will their missions be?

For Frédéric Barbry, we must get out of the image of soldiers simply standing guard statically in front of a Church for example.

On the contrary, "our units are part of a dynamic and mobile approach".

The soldiers will have “roundabout paths and very random paths in order to cover the maximum amount of ground and encompass several sites.

It is a proven method, an unpredictability based on mobility is shown to be much more effective than the static defense of a site.

"

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  • Society

  • Emmanuel Macron

  • Military

  • Attack

  • Sentinel operation