Paris attacks bring Syrian conflict into Europe: Expert

Rome, November 15: The horrific terror attacks that killed at least 129 people in Paris indicate an attempt to bring the Syrian conflict into Europe, an Italian alyst has said. “These attacks brought about a transformation in the terror strategy: they definitely showed a will to bring the war from Syria to Europe, and turn one of Europe’s main cities into a battlefield,” Xinhua quoted Francesca Manenti, alyst with Rome-based Centre for Intertiol Studies, as saying on Saturday.

Instead of choosing a symbolic target, this wave of well-coordited attacks aimed at public locations such as restaurants, the concert hall, and the stadium, which remain crowded on Friday nights.

French President Francois Hollande on Saturday said the Islamic State group was responsible for the attacks. Hollande defined Friday’s attacks as “an act of war, planned and organised from abroad with help from inside France”.

Alysts said perpetrators include European radicalised citizens, who were difficult to be detected by security forces under the shelter of European families and networks. “The attacks were carried out simultaneously, and struck in areas of Paris that were quite far from each other,” Manenti said.  (IANS)