1st LD: 19 nationalities among victims, France to intensify operations in Syria: Hollande

There were 19 nationalities among the victims of the deadly attacks that took place Friday night in Paris and its suburbs, French President Francois Hollande announced Monday during a rare speech to the two chambers of the parliament at Versailles.

"What was targeted by the terrorists, it's the France open to the world," Hollande said, adding that "dozens of foreign friends are among the victims, representing 19 nationalities".

He also pointed out that the attacks were "decided and planned in Syria, organized in Belgium and perpetrated on our territory with French complicities".

Following the airstrikes carried out by French army Sunday night at Raqqa, Syria, Hollande announced that " France will intensify its operations in Syria".

"We will continue the strikes in the coming weeks", he noted, adding that the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle will be deployed to east Mediterranean, which will "triple our capacity of action".

"There will be no respite nor truce", Hollande stressed.

Hollande proposed the Security Council of the United Nations meet as soon as possible to adopt a resolution to destroy the Islamic State (IS), and he will meet with U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin to form "one great coalition" facing the terrorists in Syria.

"I will meet in the coming days with President Obama and President Putin to unite our forces and achieve a result that is now too long postponed," he announced.

Simultaneous shootings and explosions at restaurants, Bataclan concert hall and the national stadium in Paris on Friday night have killed at least 129 people and injured hundreds of others. Endit