Paris Attacks Still Reverberate

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Sri Polkampally, Staff Writer

The violence that terrorized Paris shook the world. On the evening of November 13, thousands of Paris residents and tourists were bustling on the streets and the soccer match between France and world champion Germany was being held. But unfortunately, on the same night, several terrorists with AK-47s and several bombs attacked various sites throughout Paris, including the soccer match. The attacks began at 21:20 CET when three suicide bombers struck near the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, followed by suicide bombings and mass shootings at restaurants,cafés, and a music venue in Paris. The approximate death toll rose up to 130 people, excluding the 368 that were injured.The attacks were the deadliest on France since World War II, even though French people were on high alert for any acts of terrorism since the January 2015 attacks.

President Hollande and the French Government are enraged by this situation and have been working constantly to bring those who were behind these attacks to justice. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying it was in retaliation for the French airstrikes on ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq. The French people have shown that they will not keep silent and on November 15, France launched the biggest airstrike of Opération Chammal, striking ISIL targets in Al-Raqqah. This was its contribution to the anti-ISIL bombing campaign. Then, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the suspected lead of the attacks was killed in a police raid in Saint-Denis, along with at least two other people. Some of the terrorists that have been identified were Bilal Hadfi, M. al-Mahmod, Brahim Abdeslam, Samy Amimour, Omar Ismail Mostefai, and Foued Mohamed-Aggad, but there are many that are still unidentified.

ISIL is growing bigger and stronger and the only way to stop them is if we stand together. Spread love and peace because in the end they are always stronger than hate or violence. The attacks on Paris were horrific and much love will be sent to the families of the victims that have suffered.