President Francois Hollande vowed Tuesday to wage war against Islamic State (IS) “by every means” within the law after two men linked to the extremist group killed a priest in a French church.
“We are confronted with a group, Daesh, which has declared war on us,” Hollande said, using an alternative name for the Islamic State group.
“We have to wage war, by every means, (but through) upholding the law, which is because we are a democracy.”
Hollande was speaking in a lightning visit to the northern French town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, just hours after the attack took place.
Two assailants entered a local church, slitting the throat of an 84-year-old priest and leaving another hostage with life-threatening injuries, before being killed by police as they left the building, police said.
Hollande said the assailants “claimed to be from Daesh” and branded the assault as a “vile terrorist attack”.
“The Catholic community has been hit, but it is all of the French public which is concerned,” Hollande said.
He called for national unity in the face of terrorism, urging the French people to “create a solid bloc that no-one can split”.
