'Sabotage' on French rail network before Olympics: What we know so far
France's high-speed rail network paralysed train travel nationwide Friday as Paris prepared to host the opening ceremony for the 2024 Olympics.
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It was not clear who carried out the attacks and if they were intentionally timed to disrupt France's hosting of the event.
Here is what we know so far:
What was targeted?
The «deliberate fires» damaged signalling infrastructure at Courtalain in western France, Croisilles in the north and Pagny-Sur-Moselle in the east, national rail operator SNCF said.
These three incidents affected France's Atlantic, northern and eastern lines leading to mass cancellations and delays at a time of particularly heavy traffic for summer holiday travel.
«Early this morning, coordinated and prepared acts of sabotage were perpetrated against installations of SNCF,» Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said.
SNCF chief executive Jean-Pierre Farandou said the attackers had started fires in «conduits carrying multiple (fibre-optic) cables» that relay «safety information for drivers» or control the motors for points that change rails.
Who is affected? Around 800,000 passengers are expected to be affected over the weekend as the damage is heavy and labour-intensive to repair. A quarter of a million were affected on Friday alone, SNCF said.
France's rail network was expected to be busy this weekend, not only due to the Olympics but also as people
