PARIS, May 7 -- In yet another incident of its kind, a number of graves belonging to Muslim soldiers who fought for France in major world conflicts have been vandalized in a cemetery in Tarazon, southern France, media and defence sources confirmed Friday.
According to Ahlul Bayt News Agency (ABNA.ir), French Defence Minister Herve Morin was quoted by his ministry as expressing "deep indignation" at what he called "an ignoble and cowardly act." He said he honoured the 17 soldiers whose graves were vandalized and he said he was outraged to think they were targeted for religious reasons.Hundreds of Muslim graves have been tagged, damaged and otherwise vandalized these past years in what is believed to be acts carried out by extremists and racist groups here.
Many of the graves contain soldiers who gave their lives for France on European battlefields in World War I and World War II. The bulk of the Muslim troops came from the North African Maghreb and other parts of the African continent, like Senegal, Cameroon and other nations.
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