France is a boiling pot, as twenty-two explosions occurred in Corsica on the night of 8 October to the morning of 9 October. The Corsican National Liberation Front (FLNC) has claimed responsibility, saying that 'we do not want a common destiny with France'.
The explosive devices targeted residences and a tax centre.
The FLNC's overnight attacks came just ten days after the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron, who offered Corsica "autonomy within the Republic".
Police on the Mediterranean island of Corsica launched an investigation after the explosions at 22 properties late on Monday night.
The FLNC group claimed responsibility for the attacks, in an attack known as "blue night" because of all the police and firefighters called to the scene.
No injuries have been reported from the explosions and the anti-terrorism prosecutor's office said it has opened investigations into attempted murder, burglary of property, construction of an explosive device and involvement in terrorist activity.
The overnight attacks by the FLNC came just ten days after French President Emmanuel Macron visited Corsica and offered it "autonomy within the Republic", while warning that this "historic moment" would not be achieved "without" or "against" the French state.
The meeting concluded 18 months of talks that began after violence erupted on the island in 2022 following the death of pro-independence fighter Ivan Colonna, who was attacked in prison where he was serving a life sentence for a 1998 murder.
In the last two years, Corsica has seen an upsurge in arson attacks and explosions, mainly targeting second homes, often with nationalist signs. These explosions have often been carried out, some by the FLNC, others by the GCC (Ghjuventù Clandestina Corsa), an underground movement of Corsican youth.
"Some FLNC labels were found, which leaves no doubt about the political and terrorist nature of these events", commented Nicolas Septe, the Ajaccio prosecutor, noting a "very clear increase in the strength of the movement". Most of these investigations are being carried out "in synergy" by the gendarmerie services and the judicial police, said François Thévenot, prosecutor of Bastia.
"This covert operation must have required the mobilization of seven teams equipped with fireworks," estimated a judicial source, who did not believe that "the rearming of the FLNC, which had observed a military truce in 2014, would be so rapid." The secret organization has not staged a series of explosions of this magnitude since 2012.
