Opération Sentinelle
| Company type | Military operation |
|---|---|
| Industry | Counterterrorism, National security |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Headquarters | France |
Area served | France |
Key people | François Hollande (President at launch) |
Number of employees | Approx. 7,000 troops (variable) |
Opération Sentinelle is a continuing French military initiative established in the wake of the January 2015 Île-de-France attacks to safeguard critical sites against terrorism. The operation was reinforced after the November 2015 Paris attacks and remained active under a state of emergency until 1 November 2017. On 13 October 2023, following the Arras school stabbing, France escalated its security alert to the highest tier and deployed 7,000 troops.
Background
The launch of Opération Sentinelle was a direct response to assaults attributed to Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, alongside several other terrorist incidents within France. Comparable military deployments aimed at protecting vital locations have been implemented in other European nations such as Belgium, Italy, and the United Kingdom, representing a wider continental approach to counterterrorism.
Number of troops deployed
From 2015 through 2021, nearly 225,000 personnel cycled through Opération Sentinelle, with the Army comprising 95% of those involved.
Initially, by 15 January 2015, the operation mobilized 10,412 soldiers assigned to secure 722 high-risk sites including religious buildings, educational institutions, and diplomatic facilities. This force was complemented by 4,700 police officers and Gendarmes responsible for guarding 830 locations, some under continuous surveillance.
Beginning on 12 February, troop rotations introduced a transition to mobile patrols, reducing numbers from 10,412 to 7,500 soldiers, then further down to 3,000.
On 29 April 2015, President François Hollande confirmed that Opération Sentinelle would continue with an intended deployment of 7,000 troops.
Following the November 2015 Paris attacks, troop levels were increased to 10,000 personnel—6,500 stationed in Île-de-France and 3,500 deployed elsewhere.
After the Nice truck attack in 2016, plans to scale back forces to 7,000 were abandoned. Instead, the operation expanded by increasing troop presence across provinces and intensifying patrols at major events and border points.
By September 2016, the deployment included 7,500 active soldiers supported by an additional 3,000 reservists on standby. Troop allocation fluctuated depending on threat assessments and seasonal factors; for instance, after the Berlin truck attack in late 2016, Paris saw an increase from 1,700 to 9,200 soldiers.
In 2021, Opération Sentinelle's composition comprised:
- 3,000 troops on continuous operational duty
- 4,000 personnel on alert for either 12 or 72 hours
- 3,000 held in strategic reserve
Attacks against soldiers
Soldiers participating in this nationwide mission have been targeted on at least six separate occasions.
On 3 February 2017, during the Louvre machete attack, soldiers assigned to Opération Sentinelle prevented the assailant from entering the museum where he aimed to vandalize artwork as a symbolic act against France; he attacked these patrolling troops with a machete.
During the March 2017 Île-de-France attacks, two Opération Sentinelle soldiers stationed at Orly Airport neutralized an individual who declared "I am here to die for Allah" while assaulting another soldier and attempting to seize her assault rifle.
On 9 August 2017, amid the Levallois-Perret attack, six soldiers from the 35th Infantry Regiment engaged in Opération Sentinelle were deliberately struck by a vehicle whose driver fled; the military personnel were unable to respond with force promptly.
During the 2018 Strasbourg attack, an Opération Sentinelle patrol exchanged gunfire with the attacker who was wounded but managed to escape.
Military Preparedness
A number of troops assigned to Opération Sentinelle were accommodated in unsuitable locations, including schools, municipal buildings, and hangars.
Moreover, some personnel have experienced familial difficulties due to prolonged deployments lasting between 186 and 220 days.
Bataclan Attack
During the Bataclan Theatre Massacre, eight soldiers participating in Opération Sentinelle arrived shortly after the initial police officers. Military protocol prevented them from entering without explicit orders or surrendering their FAMAS rifles, resulting in BAC 75N officers entering the scene armed only with sidearms. According to a 2016 parliamentary report, the Paris police prefect did not solicit military support, delegating the operation to the BRI-BAC, a police unit specialized in hostage situations and counterterrorism.
In June 2018, seventeen victims or their relatives lodged a complaint against the state for "failure to assist persons in danger." However, this claim was dismissed by the Paris Administrative Court one month later.
See also
- Operation Vigilant Guardian – Belgian counterpart
- Operation Temperer – UK counterpart
- Sentinelle – Film released in 2021