Spain announced Thursday that it will deploy 313 police officers to Paris to increase security for this summer’s Olympic Games, as France remains on high alert due to assault threats.
The cops, who include bomb deactivation experts and sniffer dog teams, will be dispatched in response to France’s request for foreign assistance with Games security, according to a statement from the Spanish interior ministry.
France, which will host the games from July 26 to August 11, has upgraded its security alert to the highest level in response to the deadly attack at a Moscow concert hall in March. The Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the massacre.
The Spanish police will remain in Paris for the Paralympics, which run from August 28 until September 8, according to the statement.
The French city has been frequently targeted by deadly assaults by Islamic extremists, and security fears are particularly high for the Games’ opening ceremony, which will feature boats on the Seine River and large people watching from the embankments.
Nearly 45,000 police officers and gendarmes will be deployed in the Paris region for the event. During the games, 18,000 French military personnel will be deployed, including 3,000 responsible for aerial surveillance, as well as about 35,000 police and gendarmes.