France on Thursday commemorated the 10th anniversary of the 2015 Paris attacks, honouring the 130 people killed in a coordinated rampage by Islamic State gunmen and suicide bombers that struck cafes, restaurants, and the Bataclan concert hall.
The assault, the deadliest on French soil since World War Two, left deep scars on the nation and reshaped its security landscape.
Across the capital, ceremonies brought together survivors, grieving families, and senior leaders including President Emmanuel Macron.
The bells of Notre Dame cathedral rang out as the names of victims were read aloud, a solemn reminder of the night that forever altered French society.
The attacks began on the evening of November 13, 2015, with suicide bombings outside the Stade de France that killed bus driver Manuel Dias. Gunmen then opened fire at five locations across central Paris before storming the Bataclan, where 92 people were killed.
“Since that November 13, there is an emptiness that cannot be filled,” Dias’ daughter Sophie said at the stadium. Fighting back tears, she recalled hours of unanswered calls before learning her father had died.
She urged younger generations to remember “all those innocent lives lost, like my dad, who left far too soon, for no reason at all.”
Survivors and families gathered at each attack site, laying wreaths and observing moments of silence. At every location, officials read out the names of those who died.
“For me, it’s a way of bringing them back to life. They’re here among us,” said Sebastien Lascoux, a Bataclan survivor who lost a friend that night and continues to struggle with post-traumatic stress.
Victims’ associations also honoured two Bataclan survivors who later died by suicide, bringing the total death toll to 132. Their names were included in Thursday’s ceremonies.
Later, officials inaugurated a remembrance garden near Paris city hall. “The anger has subsided … but the scars remain indelible,” said Philippe Duperron, who lost his son Thomas at the Bataclan.
Historians say the attacks were unique because they targeted ordinary places of leisure, making anyone a potential victim. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said the attackers sought to strike at France’s cultural identity, “this culture of joy, celebration, diversity, sharing, and music.”
While security officials say a repeat of a highly coordinated attack like that of 2015 is less likely, the danger persists. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said the Islamic State’s decline has reduced the likelihood of such large-scale operations, but warned that the risk from rapidly radicalised individuals acting alone remains “high.”
A decade after one of France’s darkest nights, the country continues to honour the victims while confronting an evolving security challenge, and the enduring memory of lives cut short.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
