84 people killed in a terrorist attack – France is mourning
According to the most recent figures, 84 people were killed and about 200 were injured as a result of a attack by a truck. There have been also reports of children casualties. Most of the victims of the attack are French citizens, but there were also foreigners: 1 Armenian citizen, 1 Russian citizen, 1 Ukranian citizen and 2 American citizens.
A truck ploughed into a crowd at 11 p.m., while people had come together in the center of Nice to celebrate Bastille Day. The car rammed into the crowd of people at 60km per hour for a distance of 2 kilometers. Then the driver opened fire on the crowd. He was shot dead by the police.
Responsibility on the terrorism act took ISIS, said Al-Jazeera.
Photo: The New York TimesMohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, 31, a Tunisian native and citizen of France, who had been living in Nice, was named as the driver of the truck. He had previously been convicted of several, but he was not been reported as having any links with terrorism.
French President Francois Hollande termed the incident a terrorist attack. However, no terrorist group has assumed responsibility for the the attack.
Photo: ReutersThe President of France introduced a three-month state of emergency and announced that there would be three days of mourning. Law-enforcement agencies and reservists, who have been called upon to assist in the aftermath, will help maintain safety within the country.
The government has called upon its citizens to donate blood.
In November 2015, the ISIS carried out a terrorist attack in Paris, killing 130 people.
Photo: Indianexpress.comA similar attack by a truck took place in France in 2014
In December 2014, two vehicles intentionally plowed into the sidewalks on two different dates, independently from one another. A driver of one of the vehicles had been reportedly crying out: “Allah Akbar”. This attack happened in Dijon, where 13 people were injured as a result. The 40-year-old driver turned out to be mentally unstable, though he didn’t have any ties to jihadists.
The following day, a white truck crashed into the Christmas market in the French city of Nantes. 1 person was killed and 9 were injured as a result of the attack. The driver suffered self-inflicted bodily injuries and then, in 2016, he committed suicide in prison before his trial was concluded.
