At least 80 Bastille Day revelers killed in Nice after truck attack

More than 80 people died and hundreds were injured 18 critically on Thursday night in Nice, southern France when a truck drove into a crowd watching the Bastille Day fireworks display for France’s national holiday on Jul.14.

The antiterrorist prosecutor has opened the investigation. French president Francois Hollande told the nation that “there’s no denying the terrorist nature” of the attack, adding that “all of France is under threat from Islamist terrorism.”

The truck driver and sole occupant of the car was killed by security forces after driving about two kilometers along the emblematic Promenade des Anglais on Nice’s seafront.

At that time, shortly after 23.00 local time (21.00 GMT), thousands of people were leaving the promenade after the fireworks display. There are several children among the dead.

Inside the truck, in addition to various weapons and grenades, an ID card belonging to a 31yearold man was found.

Local newspaper Nice Matin reports that the French ID card could correspond to a local of Tunisian origin, although this information has not been officially confirmed.

It remains unknown whether the attacker fired his weapons despite the fact that many people have suffered gunshot wounds.

The white truck driven by the suspected terrorist had been shot around 20 times in the front window by the police in order to stop it.

Interior Ministry spokesman PierreHenri Brandet denied both rumors that there was an alleged hostage taking and the presence of armed accomplices on the streets in Nice.

Hollande led a meeting of the interministerial crisis cell after the attack before meeting his prime minister Manuel Valls with whom he will travel to Nice after presiding over a Defense Council meeting at 09.00 local time (07.00 GMT).

The president announced that he will prolong the state of emergency which was coming to an end on Jul. 26 for three more months.

Hollande also announced that France will keep the Operation Sentinel on a high alert level, which allows the rapid mobilization of 10,000 soldiers and has decided to “call up operational reserves” to reinforce the police forces especially in the border control area.

The city quickly showed solidarity with those affected by the attack and a hashtag ‘#PortesOuvertesNice’(Open Doors Nice) began circulating on social media to offer accommodation to those struggling to return home because security forces asked everyone not to go outside.