It was a sad day for the people of France Thursday night as a truck smashed into a crowd in the French resort of Nice, killing at least 84 people as they watched a Bastille Day fireworks display.The horrendous attack has been condemned by people across the globe.
French police are yet to confirm the identity of the man behind the wheel of the white lorry that smashed into hundreds of people celebrating Bastille Day on the seafront in Nice.
But BBC reports that details are emerging of a 31-year-old man, known to police, but not previously linked to jihadist groups.
He was named locally as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, although not by police. One report said he was married, with three children.
Below are some of the photos taken from the scene of the attack:
The following are some of the reactions from leaders across the globe:
– US President Barack Obama condemned what he said appeared to be a “horrific terrorist attack”.
“We stand in solidarity and partnership with France, our oldest ally, as they respond to and recover from this attack,” he said in a statement.
“On this Bastille Day, we are reminded of the extraordinary resilience and democratic values that have made France an inspiration to the entire world.”
– US Secretary of State John Kerry, who had been in Paris earlier in the day for a Bastille Day parade, said: “The United States will continue to stand firmly with the French people during this time of tragedy. We will provide whatever support is needed.”
– Germany “stands alongside France in the fight against terrorism,” Chancellor Angela Merkel said, adding that “words can barely express” what France’s allies felt.
– Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote on Twitter: “Canadians are shocked by tonight’s attack in Nice. Our sympathy is with the victims, and our solidarity with the French people.”
– A spokesman for new British Prime Minister Theresa May called the attack “a terrible incident”, adding “we are shocked and concerned”.
– Boris Johnson, whose first engagement as Britain’s new foreign secretary was at the French ambassador’s Bastille Day party in London, said on Twitter: “Shocked and saddened by the appalling events in Nice, and the terrible loss of life.”
