French leaders condemn Quetta suicide attack

French President François Hollande has condemned Monday's Taliban suicide attack on a hospital in the Pakistani city of Quetta, calling it an "abominable act". Prime Minister Manuel Valls dubbed it "squalid" and expressed "solidarity in the fight against terrorism".

The scene of the Quetta attack Reuters/Naseer Ahmed

"The president of the republic condemns this abominable act and expresses his complete solidarity with the Pakistani people, which was already sorely tried by the attack in Lahore last March," a statement by the French presidency said on Monday.

Seventy-five people were killed in an attack on a playground in Lahore, eastern Pakistan, last Easter.

Monday's suicide attack, which claimed more than 70 lives and injured dozens of people, was in Quetta, the capital of restive Balochistan.

Both the Taliban and the islamic State armed group have claimed responsibility for it.

In a tweet Valls called it "squalid".

"Condolences to the families and the Pakistani people," he went on. "Solidarity in the fight against terrorism."

To read our coverage of Pakistan's 2013 general election click here