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Join on Telegram Rabat – French authorities are ramping up security measures around mosques throughout the country in anticipation of Ramadan, which is expected to begin on either Monday, March 11, or Tuesday, March 12.
The exact start date will be confirmed based on the sighting of the crescent moon during the “night of doubt” on Sunday, March 10.
This measure of increased security comes against a backdrop of persistent tensions in the Middle East.
According to a memo obtained by Agence France-Presse (AFP), French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin instructed local prefects to reinforce security presence near “all Muslim places of worship” during Ramadan.
The memo emphasizes increased vigilance “at the arrival and departure times of worshipers during gatherings and services,” with a particular focus on “the most sensitive and emblematic places and buildings.”
Additionally, Darmanin called for special attention during the Night of Destiny, anticipated around April 5, and the Eid al-Fitr festival marking the end of Ramadan, expected to fall on April 9 or 10.
The heightened security measures reflect ongoing concerns about terrorism in France. The memo highlights “the high level of terrorist threat that continues to weigh on our country,” while also acknowledging “the persistence of tensions internationally, particularly in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”
According to the memo, these factors necessitate “extreme vigilance, especially towards religious gatherings and places.”
The announcement of increased security coincides with ongoing efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Mediators from Egypt, the United States, and Qatar have been working in Cairo since Tuesday to reach a resolution to the genocidal campaign Israel has been waging on Palestinians for the past five months.
Since October 7, Israel’s murderous air and ground campaigns against Gaza have left at least 30,800 Palestinians dead and 72,198 wounded.
