AFP, Paris :”This time it’s war,” declared the Le Parisien daily, as France’s media reacted with horror but determination after Friday’s wave of attacks that left at least 120 dead.Centre-right daily Le Figaro took up a similar theme, splashing with the headline “War in central Paris” amid scenes of carnage at several locations in the French capital.Many papers called for unity in the country that is still reeling from jihadist attacks in January that claimed 17 lives.”In the name of the true martyrs of yesterday, the innocent victims and in the name of the Republic, France will be able to stay united and stand together,” said Le Parisien.The “terrorist barbarism” has crossed a “historic line,” said the head of the left-leaning Liberation daily, calling for France to stay resolute.”It is impossible not to link these bloody events with the battles raging in the Middle East. France is playing its part there. It must continue to do so without blinking,” wrote Laurent Joffrin in an editorial.Sports daily L’Equipe splashed the one word “L’Horreur” (“Horror”) across a black front page.Papers immediately made the link between the attacks on the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine that claimed 17 lives in January, spawning an outpouring of solidarity around the Twitter hashtag #jesuischarlie (I am Charlie).”We were Charlie. We are Paris!” wrote the Republique des Pyrenees regional daily.Meanwhile, the “heinous” Paris attacks are a violation of all religions and underline the need to intensify efforts against “terrorism”, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said Saturday as he arrived in Vienna for talks on ending Syria’s civil war.”I wanted to express our condolences to the government and people of France for the heinous terrorist attacks that took place yesterday which are in violation and contravention of all ethics, morals and religions,” Adel al-Jubeir told reporters in Vienna.”The kingdom of Saudi Arabia has long called for more intensified international efforts to combat the scourge of terrorism in all its forms and shapes,” he said.The talks in Vienna involving some 20 countries and international organisations — but no Syrian representatives — are aimed at working out a roadmap to end the country’s bloody civil war after almost five years of combat.But there are deep divisions, notably between Iran and Russia on one side and Western and Arab nations on the other, on the future of President Bashar al-Assad and which opposition groups to back.Witnesses said that the gunmen who killed at least 120 people in the attacks late Friday in Paris shouted “Allahu akbar” (“God is greatest”) and blamed France’s military intervention in Syria against Islamic State (IS) extremists.
