French rail company SNCF announced on Friday 26 July 2024 that its high-speed train system had been impacted by coordinated and "deliberate arson attacks to damage facilities" causing widespread disruption to the rail network including long delays across the network as well as the UK-France Eurotunnel.
Three fires near train tracks were reported in areas outside of Paris. SNCF assessed the fires to be deliberately set to disrupt rail services as one fire hit two trainlines. At the time of writing, no details of the group behind the attacks had been made public.
Major global sporting events such as the Olympics present attractive opportunities for terror and disruptive actors as they offer maximum exposure and publicity. As well as potential terror threats, Russia have also been accused of launching sabotage operations in Europe.
Sources:
Politico
ICCT