French President François Hollande announced that he would extend his country’s state of emergency — due to end July 26 — by an additional three months, following the deadly attack in Nice Thursday when a truck plowed into a crowd of people, killing at least 80, TIME reported.
Hollande condemned the attack as a “monstrosity,” and said there could be no doubt that it was an act of terror. “France as a whole is under the threat of Islamic terrorism,” he said. “We have to demonstrate absolute vigilance and show determination that is unfailing.”
Following Hollande’s speech, French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve confirmed that the death toll had risen to 80. Dozens were injured in the attack, with 18 in a critical condition.
As well as an extension of the state of emergency, which has been in place since the terror attacks on Paris in November last year, Hollande said that operational reserves had been called up to aid police and security forces, particularly in border areas.
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“Nothing will lead us to give in to our will to fight against terrorism,” the French leader concluded, adding that France’s military efforts against Islamic State (ISIS) extremists in Iraq and Syria would be strengthened.
“France is afflicted but I assure you she is strong and she will always be stronger than the fanatics that want to strike her today,” he said.