PARIS - French justice minister Gerald Darmanin confirmed on Tuesday that attacks had been carried out overnight on several French prisons, and added he would travel to the southern city of Toulon, whose prison was among those attacked.

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"Attempts have been made to intimidate staff in several prisons, ranging from burning vehicles to firing automatic weapons," Darmanin said on social media platform X.

"I am going to Toulon to support the officers concerned. The French Republic is facing up to the problem of drug trafficking and is taking measures that will massively disrupt the criminal networks," he added.