⁍ France warns its citizens living or travelling in several Muslim-majority countries to take extra security precautions.
⁍ Saudi Arabia condemned the cartoons but held back from echoing calls by other Muslim states for a boycott of French products.
⁍ The row has its roots in a knife attack outside a French school on Oct. 16 in which a man of Chechen origin beheaded Samuel Paty.
– In the wake of the beheading of a French teacher who had shown his students cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad, France is warning its citizens living or traveling in Muslim-majority countries to be on their guard. France’s foreign ministry issued safety advice to French citizens in Indonesia, Bangladesh, Iraq, and Mauritania on Tuesday, advising them to stay away from any protests over the cartoons and avoid any public gatherings, Reuters reports. “It is recommended to exercise the greatest vigilance, especially while traveling, and in places that are frequented by tourists or expatriate communities,” it said. The French embassy in Turkey issued similar advice to its citizens there. French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin retorted on Tuesday that Turkey, and Pakistan, should not meddle in France’s domestic affairs. Paris has recalled its ambassador in Ankara, and Pakistan’s parliament on Monday passed a resolution urging the government to recall its envoy from Paris. The images of the Prophet were first published years ago by a French satirical magazine, whose editorial offices were attacked in 2015 by gunmen who killed 12 people. Since the beheading of the teacher Samuel Paty this month, the cartoons have been displayed in France in solidarity, angering some Muslims. President Emmanuel Macron, who met representatives of France’s Muslim community on Monday, has pledged to fight “Islamist separatism.” Saudi Arabia appeared to be taking a moderate response to the controversy, steering clear of boycott calls. A Saudi foreign ministry official said on Tuesday the Gulf state condemns all acts of terrorism, an apparent reference to Paty’s beheading.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/france-security-boycott/wrapup-1-france-warns-citizens-to-be-cautious-as-anger-seethes-in-muslim-world-over-cartoons-idUSL8N2HI2UM