France marks first anniversary of Paris attacks

France marks first anniversary of Paris attacks

France will today hold a series of sombre ceremonies to mark a year to the day since gunmen and suicide bombers from the Islamic State group killed 130 people in Paris.

Paris Bataclan
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President Francois Hollande will unveil plaques commemorating the victims at six sites targeted on November 13, 2015.

The first will be outside the Stade de France national stadium where three suicide bombers detonated their explosives during an international football match, killing a man and starting the series of devastating attacks.
Hollande and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo will then unveil plaques at bars and restaurants in the trendy neighbourhood where gunmen sprayed bullets at revellers enjoying a Friday evening out.
The final ceremony will take place at the Bataclan, the concert hall where 90 people were killed by three attackers during a rock gig in the culmination of the carnage.
Sting Bataclan
Sting Bataclan

Rock superstar Sting reopened the refurbished Bataclan with a hugely symbolic show on Saturday.

"We will not forget them," the British singer told the crowd in French after a minute's silence for the victims.
"Tonight we have two tasks to achieve: first to remember those who lost their lives in the attack, and then to celebrate life and music in this historic place," he said.
Scores of survivors of the attack attended the sold-out concert.

Meanwhile, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls vowed Saturday that "Islamist terrorism" would be defeated once and for all.

"Terrorism will strike us again," he warned. "But we have in ourselves all the resources to resist and all the strength to beat it," he said.
France is part of the international coalition launching air strikes on Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria.
At home, the country remains under a state of emergency, while terrorism and the role of Islam are key themes six months before presidential elections.

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