Bloodbath with 84 Dead During France’s National Day Celebration

During the special celebration of France’s National Day, a truck rammed into a crowd in the city of Nice in southern France. The open truck, while running over the crowd present at the beachside parade, killed at least 84 people and injured a large number of others.

France faced a bloody attack on its National Day. On Thursday evening (July 14 / 24 Tir) a truck in the city of Nice, located in southern France, attacked and ran over the crowd present at the beachside parade of this city.

According to official authorities’ announcement, at least 84 people have been killed during this attack, some of whom were children. 50 people were also injured in this attack, with the condition of 20 of them reported as critical and their lives threatened with death.

This attack took place on a wide parade that is located beside Nice’s beach and is one of the popular places for tourists.

According to police authorities, this attack occurred at 11 p.m. on Thursday evening, moments after the fireworks ceremony in celebration of France’s National Day festivities.

National prosecutors stated that the truck in question traveled a distance of 2 kilometers during its rampage and ran over the crowd. The latest results of this attack indicate that the attacker was also carrying a gun during the attack and was firing at the crowd.

Police officers shot and disabled the perpetrator of this attack while he was still behind the wheel. Images released by the French news agency from this truck show that its body and front window are full of bullet holes.

Investigation Handed Over to Counter-Terrorism Unit

According to Nice police sources, identification documents of a 31-year-old Franco-Tunisian individual were found in the truck. In addition, several weapons and grenades were discovered.

Investigations into this attack are underway and its conduct has now been handed over to France’s counter-terrorism unit. So far, no individual or group has claimed responsibility for this attack and it is unclear whether the truck driver acted alone or if other individuals cooperated with him.

A reporter from the French news agency who was at the scene of this attack and was an eyewitness said: “We saw how people were run over and various objects were thrown about. The frightened crowd was trying to flee.”

Christian Strossy, the regional governor, asked people to stay in their homes and refrain from going out into the streets. Germany’s Foreign Ministry also called on its citizens residing in the area to follow the instructions and recommendations of French security forces.

Hollande’s Promise of Firm Action Against Terrorism

François Hollande, President of France, delivered a television speech after this incident and called it a “terrorist attack.” He said that the state of emergency in France would be extended for another three months.

Since the bloody attacks in Paris in November of last year, a state of emergency has been in place in France.

The French President, who was shocked by this attack, clarified that “Islamist terrorism” threatens all of France.

He spoke of taking firm measures to combat this trend and emphasized: “We will make every effort in fighting the scourge of terrorism. We will punish those who carry out such attacks on our soil.”

The United Nations Security Council also condemned this attack and called it a “brutal and cowardly act of terrorists.”

Source: Deutsche Welle