Three people have died of which at least two are reportedly beheaded in a terrorist attack at Notre Dame Church in Nice, France. The attack that began at around 9 AM local time has also left several people injured. The police reached the spot immediately and apprehended the terrorist.
As per local French media, the Nice Mayor, Christian Estrosi has said that the Islamic terrorist did not stop shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ while carrying out the attack.3 morts désormais.
— Azur TV (@AzurTV_) October 29, 2020
L’auteur blessé a été interpellé.
« Il n’a cessé de crier Allah Akbar alors qu’il était médicalisé » indique Christian Estrosi, Maire de Nice. #Nice06 #NotreDame #attentat
As per the reports, the incident took place on Thursday morning. The Mayor of the city, Christian Estrosi, has thanked the local police officers for their quick action. “Thank you to our municipal police officers who arrested the author of a stabbing attack in the Notre Dame sector at # Nice06. I ask the people of Nice to avoid the area to let the police and emergency services work,” he said in a tweet.
Merci à nos policiers municipaux qui ont interpellé l’auteur d’une attaque à l’arme blanche dans le secteur Notre Dame à #Nice06. Je demande aux Niçois d’éviter le secteur pour laisser la police et les secours travailler. @pmdenice
— Christian Estrosi (@cestrosi) October 29, 2020
National Police has reported from its official Twitter handle that the operation is still going on and people should confirm forwarding any report. They urged everyone to follow official accounts for updates.
🔴Opération de police en cours à #Nice (06).
— Police nationale (@PoliceNationale) October 29, 2020
Une attaque au couteau a eu lieu, deux personnes décédées, l’auteur présumé des faits a été interpellé.
Merci de ne pas relayer de fausses informations et de suivre les comptes officiels @PoliceNat06,@Interieur_Gouv,@PoliceNationale. pic.twitter.com/U6YGDjZRDh
The Minister of the Interior has urged people to avoid coming to the area as the police investigation and rescue is underway. The authorities are holding a crisis meeting.
IMPORTANT#Nice : une opération de police est en cours. Évitez le secteur et suivez les consignes. Après avoir eu le maire de Nice @cestrosi, je préside une réunion de crise au Ministère de l’Intérieur.
— Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) October 29, 2020
Early media reports suggest that two out of the three deceased in the terror attack were beheaded. The shocking incident comes days after a high school teacher Samuel Paty was beheaded in broad daylight over ‘blasphemy’. An Islamic terrorist had beheaded him for showing Charlie Hebdo’s caricature of Prophet Muhammad in his class.
As per local media reports, French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to Nice later today.
The French government observed one minute silence for the terror attack.
2016 Nice truck attack
Back in 2016, a 31-year-old Tunisian man, Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, ploughed his lorry into a large crowd gathered to watch a fireworks display in Nice to mark the Bastille Day holiday. On 14th July at around 10:30 PM local time, when people enjoyed the fireworks show on the seafront, a large white lorry ploughed into them at high speed. According to a witness named Laicia Baroi, “He was speeding up, braking, speeding up again and braking again. We thought it was weird.” 86 people were killed, including ten children and teenagers. A total of 303 were taken to the hospital for medical attention. The terrorist organisation Islamic State claimed that the attack was carried out by one of its members.