‘Blue night’ in Corsica as 20 homes targeted by independence arsonists
The area is cordonned off as debris lay strewn outside a damaged house, targeted by an explosion in Villanova, on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica on October 9, 2023
By Euronews with AFP
Published on 09/10/2023 – 17:22
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The FLNC’s overnight attacks came just ten days after a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron who offered Corsica “autonomy within the Republic.”
Police in the Mediterranean island of Corsica have launched an investigation after 22 properties were hit by explosions late Monday night.
The attacks have been claimed by the FLNC group, in what is known as a ‘blue night’ attack because of all the police and firefighters who are called to the scene.
No injuries have been reported in the blasts, and the anti-terrorist prosecutor’s office said they had opened investigations into attempted murder, descrution of property, manufacture of an explosive device, and participation in terrorist activity.
Macron’s political offer for the island
The FLNC’s overnight attacks came just ten days after a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron who offered Corsica “autonomy within the Republic”, while warning that this “historic moment” would not be achieved “without” or “against” the French state.
It brought to a close 18 months of discussions that began after the outbreak of violence on the island in 2022, following the death of pro-independence militant Yvan Colonna, who was attacked in prison where he was serving a life sentence for a 1998 assassination.
Over the past two years, Corsica has seen an upsurge in arson attacks and explosions, mainly targeting second homes, often with nationalist tags. These explosions have often been claimed, some by the FLNC, others by the GCC (Ghjuventù Clandestina Corsa), an underground Corsican youth movement.
