(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) PARIS, Sept 28 (KUNA) -- French President Francois Hollande on Wednesday chaired a meeting of his Defence and Security Council, which examines measures and policies relative to France's security on both domestic and external fronts.
The French leader and senior Ministers, Military and Intelligence Chiefs reviewed the ongoing efforts "to dismantle identified terrorist cells on national territory," a statement from the Elysee Palace said.
The Defence and Security Council also studied measures to heighten vigilance and adapt to the evolution of the terrorist threat that has killed 238 people in several attacks since January 2015, with over 500 others wounded.
The meeting also examined a proposal to create a French National Guard to bolster the over-stretched security forces that are deployed to counter terrorist threats.
Some 10,000 army troops have been mobilised throughout France - 3,000 of them in Paris - to reinforce police and Gendarmes who are more and more called upon to patrol strategic sites like transport hubs, government buildings and tourism centres.
The French army is currently on a recruiting drive to bring in 15,000 new soldiers and the volunteer National Guard, which will be formally proposed next week, will also number several thousand.
The Council meeting also reviewed the situation in Syria, where France is using its air power to attack so-called Islamic State strongholds.
But most concern was expressed Wednesday about the risk of a "major humanitarian catastrophe" that is emerging because of the bombing of Aleppo by Syrian regime forces, supported by Russia.
An escalation of the bombing after the failure of last week's cease-fire has led to even more serious consequences from the civilian population, the French statement said.
The Elysee Palace stressed that "France forcefully denounces this escalation and is mobilising in the United Nations Security Council where everyone will have to face his responsibilities." But Russia has a veto in the UNSC and no UN resolution criticising the operations in Aleppo is ever likely to be passed by the Council and Russia fundamentally disagrees with Western criticism of its actions in Syria.
Wednesday's meeting here also looked at the situation in Libya at a time when Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Al-Sarraj has just met with senior French officials, including Hollande.
France reiterated its long-standing position of support for Al-Sarraj and his "national unity" government and said it would support the fledgling authorities in Tripoli in the "fight against terrorist groups and in its efforts to get reconciliation and national agreement between all Libyans." (End) jk.rk