"Kurds of France have been the target of a heinous attack"

The three fatalities in the armed attack on a Kurdish cultural center in Paris were "Kurdish militants," Le Monde said after the deadly shooting on Friday in the city's 10th arrondissement.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, who visited the scene of the attack, offered his "very sincere condolences" for the Kurdish community, which he said is "experiencing many losses."

According to the minister, it is yet to be found out whether the assailant carried out the attack "specifically to target the Kurds," or the "foreigners." His motive can be determined after his hearing, "in a few hours," because he is currently hospitalized with injuries, the minister added.

Le Monde cited a Kurdish activist named Murat Roni who told Associated Press that the cultural center is "like the Kurdish embassy in Paris," a "gathering place for cultural events, political discussions, help with immigration procedures, a house where all Kurds meet."

Reactions

French President Emmanuel Macron reacted to the attack, saying on Twitter:

"The Kurds of France have been the target of a heinous attack in the heart of Paris. Our thoughts are with the victims, the people who are struggling to live, their families and loved ones."

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said:

"My deepest sympathies go out to the victims of the attack at the Kurdish cultural center in Paris. My thoughts are with the members of the Kurdish community and people of France on this sad day."

French politician Jean-Luc Melenchon said:

"Sadness and anger at the terrorist attack targeting the Kurdish cultural center Ahmet Kaya in Paris. 10 years ago almost to the day, three Kurdish leaders were assassinated in the heart of Paris. That's enough! Protection of our Kurdish allies here and there."

Three Kurdish women activists, Sakine Cansiz, Leyla Saylemez and Fidan Dogan, were assassinated in Paris on 9 January 2013.

Helena Dalli, the EU Commissioner for Equality, said:

"My thoughts are with the victims of the shooting at a Kurdish cultural centre in Paris. My condolences to their families and friends, and the whole Kurdish community."

The pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in Turkey said:

"Failure to expose the forces behind the Paris attack that left three women dead 10 years ago and letting the perpetrators get away unpunished has led to another massacre in Paris today. French authorities should shed light on this racist massacre as soon as possible."

Selahattin Demirtas, the imprisoned former co-chair of HDP, condemned the attack on Twitter, and said, tagging the French President:

"The responsibility lies with French authorities to shed light to the incident. We will be following. @EmmanuelMacron"

HDP representation in Europe said:

"We can guess who is the instigators of this deadly attack. We urgently call for solidarity with Kurdish people in Europe."

The Kurdish Democratic Council in France (CDKF) said it "condemns this terrorist attack which comes after multiple threats from Turkey, an ally of the Islamic State."

Kurdistan National Congress directly claimed Turkish involvement in the attack, saying:

"We cannot consider this attack as an ordinary attack. It is another version of the assassination 10 years ago in Paris in 2013. We do not know who the captured person is, but it is an Ankara-based operation. It is an attack organized by MIT [Turkey's National Intelligence Agency] and the counter-guerrilla."