French president Macron creates new counterterrorism unit

French President Emmanuel Macron is holding a special meeting today aimed at creating a new counterterrorism unit, in the presence of government members and top security officials.

The French presidency said the defence council will outline details of a task force that will be in charge of coordinating counterterrorism efforts and intelligence services in the country.

The unit will be based at the Elysee palace, operational 24 hours a day and will act directly under the president's authority, an unprecedented situation in the country, where some observers have denounced a lack of coordination between foreign and domestic intelligence services.

The creation of the task force was a campaign promise of Macron in a country marked by a series of attacks by Islamic extremists.