Terrorist’ truck rampage kills 84 in France

Jaswinder Singh Baidwan

Akhran da mureed
Staff member
2016_7largeimg16_Saturday_2016_011112940-1.jpg


A Tunisia-born man zigzagged a truck through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice on Thursday night, killing at least 84, among them 10 children, in what President Francois Hollande called a “terrorist” attack.
One witness said a motorcyclist tried to stop the rampage by drawing level with the truck and attempting to open the door, before he fell and ended up under its wheels.
Two children were confirmed dead and another 50 were being treated in hospital after the attack that left bodies strewn over the palm-lined Promenade des Anglais in the French Riviera resort.
The white truck drove at speed into a crowd over a distance of 2 km after they had been watching a fireworks display. Some 30,000 people had watched the display.
The driver was identified as Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel. Witnesses said the 31-year-old also fired at police before officers shot him dead.
Described by his neighbours as a handsome but frightening man, he was convicted only once before — for road rage. The Nice resident born in Tunisia was not on the watch list of the French Intelligence services. Bouhlel was married with three children, but had marital problems.
His ex-wife is being questioned as the French authorities seek to establish his motives.
Meanwhile, President Hollande has declared three days of mourning in the country, as shellshocked France found itself again mourning its dead after attacks on Charlie Hebdo magazine in January 2015 and the November 2015 massacre in Paris. — Agencies
50 children ‘between life and death’ in hospital, says French President
There are many young children who had come to watch fireworks, to have joy, to share happiness who were struck to death, merely to satisfy the cruelty of an individual — and maybe of a group. Why Nice? Because it is one of the most beautiful cities. Why the 14th of July? Because it is a celebration of liberty. We have an enemy that will continue to strike all countries that have liberties as essential values. The whole world is watching us, once again. —Francois Hollande, french president
 
Top