Paris, Mar 25: France's government increased its security alert posture to the highest level Sunday after the deadly attack at a Russian concert hall and the Islamic State's claim of responsibility.

French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced the decision in a post on X, saying authorities were “taking into account the Islamic State's claim of responsibility for the (Moscow) attack and the threats weighing on our country." US Strongly Condemns Moscow Terror Attack, Says ISIS Needs To Be Defeated ‘Everywhere’.

The announcement came after Presiden t Emmanuel Macron held an emergency security meeting prompted by Friday's attack in a Moscow suburb that killed more than 130 people. The attack was claimed by an affiliate of the Islamic State group.

France has repeatedly been hit by deadly Islamic State attacks, including the Bataclan theater massacre in 2015 in which extremists opened fire on concert-goers and held hostages for hours. French troops have also fought against Islamic extremists in the Middle East and Africa. Moscow Concert Hall Attack: Russian President Vladimir Putin Says Gunmen Who Raided Crocus City Hall Tried To Escape to Ukraine, Kyiv Denies Involvement (Watch Video).

France was already on high security alert ahead of the Paris Olympics and Paralympics this year, which are expected to draw millions of visitors to the country. Security concerns are notably high for the the exceptional opening ceremony July 26, which will involve boats riding along the Seine River and huge crowds watching from the embankments.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)