Paris, January 16: France has closed nine places of worship under the nationwide campaign against Islamic extremism, the country's Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said.

"In line with the orders of the president of the Republic and the prime minister we are taking decisive steps against the Islamist separatism. Out of 18 places of worship under special surveillance nine have been closed upon my request," the minister wrote on his Twitter page on late Friday. Earthquake in Indonesia Kills 42, Hundreds Injured After 6.2 Magnitude Quake Hits West Sulawesi Province.

According to the Figaro newspaper, three of the closed facilities were located in the department of Seine-Saint-Denis near Paris. France has intensified its campaign against the Islamism after the October murder of Samuel Paty, a history teacher who showed cartoons with Prophet Mohammad to his students.