French authorities are hunting for a second fugitive directly involved in the Paris terror attacks, while the French government made an unprecedented demand that its EU allies support its military action against Islamic State.
The disclosure of a second possible fugitive came on the same day that France launched new air strikes on the militants’ stronghold in Syria, that Vladimir Putin ordered a Russian military cruiser to co-operate with the French on fighting IS in Syria, and that US Secretary of State John Kerry hinted at a possible upcoming ceasefire in Syria.
French and Belgian police were already looking for key suspect Salah Abdeslam, 26, whose suicidebomber brother Brahim died in the attacks on Friday night that killed at least 129 people and left over 350 wounded in Paris.
Paris police said 16 people had been arrested in the region and police have carried out 104 raids since a state of emergency was declared
Islamic state militants have claimed responsibility for the carnage. The French government had earlier invoked a never before- used article of the EU's Lisbon Treaty obliging members of the 28-nation bloc to give “aid and assistance by all the means in their power” to a member country that is “the victim of armed aggression on its territory".
French Defence Minister Jean- Yves Le Drian said that all 27 of France’s EU partners had responded positively.
Arriving for talks in Brussels, Greek Defence Minister Panagiotis Kammenos told reporters that the Paris attacks were a gamechanger for the bloc. “This is September 11 for Europe,” he said.
Paris police said 16 people had been arrested in the region in relation to the attacks, and police have carried out 104 raids since a state of emergency was declared last Saturday.
A French military spokesman said the latest air strikes in Islamic State’s de-facto capital in the Syrian city of Raqqa destroyed a command post and training camp.
Mr Kerry flew to France yesterday as a gesture of solidarity and met Mr Hollande. He said a ceasefire between Syria’s government and the opposition –which would allow nations supporting Syria's various factions to focus more on IS – could be just weeks away.
Standing next to Mr Hollande at the Elysee Palace, Mr Kerry said the carnage in the French capital, along with recent attacks in Egypt, Lebanon and Turkey, made it clear that more pressure must be brought to bear on Islamic State extremists.