Around 75,000 people have signed an open letter warning about the threat of civil war in France.
The message, published in a right-wing magazine, accuses the French government of granting "concessions" to Islamism.
"It
is about the survival of our country," said the text, which was issued
anonymously by soldiers before being backed by members of the public.
The French government condemned a similar letter published by semi-retired generals late last month.
The
minister in charge of the armed forces, Florence Parly, said at the
time that they would be punished for defying a law that forbids
reservists or serving members of the military from expressing opinions
in public on religion and politics.
However,
far-right leader Marine Le Pen, a candidate in next year's presidential
election, spoke out in support of the estimated 1,000 servicemen and
women who backed the letter.
The
most recent text was published late on Sunday by Valeurs Actuelles,
although the numbers and ranks of its original signatories - said to be
active members of the military - remain unclear.
However,
the authors of the letter describe themselves as part of a younger
generation of soldiers who have served in Afghanistan, Mali and the
Central African Republic, or joined domestic anti-terrorism operations.
"They gave their skin to destroy the Islamism to which you are giving concessions on our soil," they wrote.
The
message criticised the French government's response to the "elders" who
signed last month's letter: "Did they fight for you to allow France to
become a failed state?"
"If a civil war breaks out, the army will maintain order on its own soil," the letter went on to say.
"No
one can want such a terrible situation - our elders no more than us -
but yes, civil war is brewing in France and you know it perfectly well."
The magazine's website says that more than 75,000 people have signed the letter since it was published and opened to the public.
However, some critics in both France and abroad have accused the government of unfairly targeting Islam.
