7/14/16
At least 80 people have been killed, many of them children, and 100 injured after a truck crashed into a crowd in an attack in the French city of Nice.
The incident took place on the seafront during a Bastille Day firework display.
“Once again we have seen extreme violence and it is obvious that we must do everything to fight against this terrorism,” French President François Hollande said at a press conference in Paris on Friday. “France has been hit on its national day, July 14, our national symbol.”
Hollande said 10,000 military officers around the country would be mobilized and sent to Nice, borders would be strengthened, the national state of emergency extended, and military campaigns in Syria and Iraq will continue.
“France is in tears, she is hurting but she is strong,” Hollande said. “She will be stronger. Always stronger than the fanatics who wish to hurt us.”
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve confirmed on Friday that at least 80 people had been killed and 18 were in a critical condition.
Authorities say the driver of the vehicle was armed.
“There were guns in this vehicle and larger weapons, but I can’t say more than that because that is the prosecutor’s job,” said Christian Estrosi, president of the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region where Nice is located, according to the AFP.
The French Interior Ministry tweeted: “The individual who drove the truck has been neutralized. The investigation will determine if he acted alone.”
Local official Eric Ciotti, who represents the Alpes-Maritimes region for the Republicans Party, said at least 15 people were in a “critical state.”
Nice prosecutor Jean-Michel Pretre said the truck drove two kilometres through the crowd, AFP reports, and anti-terrorist investigators have now taken over the Nice attacks investigation.
AFP reports that identity papers belonging to a 31-year-old French-Tunisian were found inside the truck, citing a police source.
.@PHBrandet (porte-parole) : l'individu qui conduisait le camion a été neutralisé. L'enquête déterminera s'il a agi seul #Nice
— Ministère Intérieur (@Place_Beauvau) July 14, 2016
President, prime minister rush to Paris for crisis talks, Brussels urges unity
French President François Hollande and Prime Minister Manuel Valls arrived in Paris early Friday for crisis talks.
Hollande had been in the southern city of Avignon on a private visit.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said he was “very touched and saddened by the terrible ordeal,” in a statement released early Friday morning.
“I would like to express greater solidarity with the victims, their families and all French men and women today in mourning following the cowardly act of terror,” Juncker said.
“France can count on the European Commission to continue to support it and the other states of the European Union in the fight against terrorism within and outside the European Union. Our determination will remain firm, as will our unity,” Juncker added.
No hostages, authorities investigating whether suspect acted alone: government
The French government earlier denied press reports that hostages had been taken during the incident.
“There is no hostage-taking,” Pierre-Henry Brandet, the interior ministry spokesperson, told AFP. “An individual drove a truck into the crowd. He was killed by police,” he said.
“Investigations are currently under way to establish if the individual acted alone or if he had accomplices who might have fled,” Brandet said.
A reporter for the AFP news agency described seeing a white van driving at high speed onto the Promenade des Anglais.
“People are running. It’s panic. The truck mounted the Prom, he drove over everyone,” a journalist for local newspaper Nice Martin reported.
Le Figaro reported that guns and grenades were found in the van.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Truck bombs have been the hallmark of ISIL and Al Qaeda assaults on cities across the Middle East.
Cher niçois, le chauffeur d'un camion semble avoir fait des dizaines de morts. Restez pour le moment à votre domicile. Plus d'infos à venir
— Christian Estrosi (@cestrosi) July 14, 2016
Obama, Trudeau offer condolences
U.S. President Barack Obama offered condolences and said the United States will offer any investigatory resources that are needed.
“On behalf of the American people, I condemn in the strongest terms what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack in Nice, France, which killed and wounded dozens of innocent civilians,” Obama said in a statement. “We stand in solidarity and partnership with France, our oldest ally, as they respond to and recover from this attack.”
U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who was to reveal his pick for his vice presidential running mate Friday, said on Twitter he would postpone the announcement “in light of the horrible attack in Nice.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement of condolences via Twitter. “Canadians are shocked by tonight’s attack in Nice. Our sympathy is with the victims, and our solidarity with the French people,” he said.
The Nice attacks come eight months after terrorists affiliated with ISIL attacked Paris nightspots November 13 and left 130 people dead, and after the Brussels terror attacks in March.
ISIL has repeatedly stated France is its prime target, and the country has been under a state of emergency ever since the November 13 Paris attacks. French President Hollande had announced the state of emergency would end later this month, the AFP reports.
This story will be continuously updated with new information as it develops.
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