France mosque attack: Imam posts message of support for soldiers protecting worshippers

'We would like to reaffirm that this act... will not prevent our determination to promote our life together'

Abdallah Dliouah, imam of the Valence mosque (Abdallah Dliouah/Facebook)

The imam of the mosque rammed by a car in France has released a statement denouncing the attack and supporting the soldiers guarding the mosque.

French soldiers opened fire on a car after it attempted to ram them outside the mosque in Valence, Drome.

Three soldiers were injured and a stray bullet hit one of the worshippers.

Abdallah Dliouah, the Valence mosque's imam, denounced the "act of aggression" against the soldiers protecting the mosque.

Communiqué de la mosquée de Valence.Agression contre les militaires du dispositif SentinelleA Valence, le 1er ...

Posted by Abdallah Imam Dliouah on Friday, 1 January 2016

He released a statement on Facebook saying: "Those who run the Valence mosque and those loyal to it are profoundly shocked by this act.

"The soldiers charged with the protection of the mosque are appreciated by worshippers and we denounce this act of aggression against those who assure our safety."

He added: "Pending the results of an investigation, we would like to reaffirm that this act, while serious, will not prevent our determination to promote our life together, as we have always done."

The driver has been detained, his motives are currently unclear.