Dutch PM, Foreign Min. horrified by terrorist attack in Nice

By Janene Pieters on July 15, 2016 - 07:50
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No image availableNL Times

At least 80 people were killed when a truck drove into a crowd of people on a boulevard in the French city of Nice on Thursday night. The attack is being considered an act of terrorism. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is horrified by the attack. Minister of Foreign Affairs Bert Koenders described it as a "cruel crime against humanity" in a comment on Twitter.

"It's horrible to see that again dozens of people, innocent civilians, were hit by a deadly attack." Rutte said, NU.nl reports. "After the horrific attacks in Paris last year, France is again hit hard. Our thoughts are currently with the victims, the survivors and the French people and its leaders, who are again put to the test."

"Again a cruel crime against humanity in Nice. We need to make a stronger fist against terrorism", Koenders said. He's given his condolences to his French counterpart Jean-Mark Ayrault. "More than ever, we must not let ourselves be driven apart by fear."

The attack happened around 10:30 p.m. at the Promenade des Anglais boulevard. The truck sped into a crowd of people gathered there to watch a firework show, driving several hundred meters up the boulevard. According to local authorities, hundreds of people are wounded, NU.nl reports. French Interior Minister Bernarnd Cazeneuve reports that 18 people are in critical condition in hospital.

According to news agency AFP, the truck driver fired several shots before being gunned down by the French counterterrorism units.  The truck was filled with firearms and grenades, the police discovered. The attacker was a 31-year-old French-Tunisian man who was born in Tunisia, according to identity documents found in the truck. The man had a criminal record, but nothing terrorism related. The French police are investigating whether the man was working alone. According to NU, there is a possibility of a passenger that took flight, but nothing's been confirmed.

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