New Delhi. Hours before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in France, the train network in Paris came under attack on Friday. Reports of vandalism and arson on several railway lines emerged at 5:15 am local time. According to a BBC report, within half an hour of the attack, several trains to and from Paris were cancelled. Many trains are running late by up to 90 minutes, leaving about 800,000 passengers stranded at stations. French state-owned railway company SNCF has issued a warning to all passengers, advising them not to go to stations. SNCF has deployed hundreds of its staff to restore train operations. In the wake of the attacks, the UK has issued a travel advisory for its citizens, urging them not to use French railway lines. The identity and motive of the attackers are unknown. Those present in France for the Paris Olympics include 117 athletes from India.
Impact on Eurostar services
The Eurostar railway company has said that many of its trains have been canceled. The attacks have affected the railway lines from London to Paris the most. The company has changed the route of all its trains or canceled them in response to the attacks. French Transport Minister Patrice Vergriet condemned the attack on social media and said that he is in constant contact with SNCF.
Attacks on three high-speed train lines
The French National Railway Company has reported that three of the country’s four main high-speed train lines, which connect the whole country to Paris, were attacked. The targeted lines include the Atlantic, Northern and Eastern lines, while an attack on one line was foiled. The first attack took place in the city of Arras, about 160 kilometers from Paris, followed by another attack on the Tours and Le Mans line in the city of Courtelaine, about 144 kilometers from Paris. The head of the SNCF said that attempts were made to disrupt the rail network and traffic during the night. There were three incidents of arson on TGV lines operating to the west, north and east of Paris. An attempt to set fire to a railway line leading south to Lyon and the Mediterranean Sea was foiled.
‘Massive’ attacks target France rail system
France’s high-speed TGV rail network has been targeted by “malicious acts” including extreme vandalism and arson, trains operator SNCF has said, just hours before the Olympic Games in Paris are set to open. pic.twitter.com/fiOYb7AhQd
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The Olympic Games are going to start today
The Olympic Games are set to begin today in Paris, running from July 26 to August 11. About 300,000 spectators and 10,500 athletes are expected to attend today’s opening ceremony, which will be held in an open-air arena on the River Seine. Security will be tight for the event, with 45,000 troops deployed for the opening ceremony and 35,000 troops stationed throughout Paris during the duration of the tournament.