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Nice attack: Dozens killed during Bastille Day celebrations Nice attack: At least 84 killed during Bastille Day celebrations
(about 2 hours later)
At least 84 people have died, including children, after a lorry slammed through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the southern French city of Nice.At least 84 people have died, including children, after a lorry slammed through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the southern French city of Nice.
The driver ploughed on for 2km on the Promenade des Anglais at about 23:00 local time, before being shot dead by police. The driver ploughed on for 2km (1.2 miles) on the Promenade des Anglais at about 23:00 local time, before being shot dead by police.
Witnesses say the speeding lorry swerved and zigzagged in an apparent attempt to hit more people.
Police reportedly found guns and grenades inside the lorry.
President Francois Hollande said the attack was of "an undeniable terrorist nature".President Francois Hollande said the attack was of "an undeniable terrorist nature".
A state of emergency, in place since November's Paris attacks, has been extended by three months. A state of emergency, in place since November's Paris attacks in which 130 people died, has been extended by three months.
France had been on high alert since those attacks in which 130 people died and hundreds were wounded. The attack began shortly after the end of a firework display on the seafront in Nice, at the end of a day marking France's day of independence, Bastille Day.
"France is badly hit," Mr Hollande said, adding that "we need to do everything we can to fight against" such attacks. Paddy Mullan, from Northern Ireland, told the BBC that he had "never seen" such fear.
"All of France is under the threat of Islamic terrorism," he said, adding that several children were among the dead. He said the truck "came out nowhere" and started "ploughing" into the crowd.
The president added that "operational reserves" would be deployed to support the army and security forces across the country, with particular focus on the borders. "This lorry just mounted the kerb, across the street from us and the next thing, all you could hear was banging and shouting and screaming," he said.
About 50 people were injured, 18 of them critically, in the incident on Thursday, which was Bastille Day - France's national day. Social media video showed people running through the streets in panic following the incident.
Prosecutor Jean-Michel Pretre said the lorry drove 2km (1.2 miles) through a large crowd, the AFP news agency reported. "It zigzagged - you had no idea where it was going," Nice resident Wassim Bouhlel told Frenchmedia.
"My wife... a metre away... she was dead. The lorry ripped through everything... poles, trees. We have never seen anything like it. Some people were hanging on the door and tried to stop it."
"It had been a normal evening and we were just walking around," Joel Fenstertold the BBC. "Suddenly people started running, there were screams and police sirens and policemen shouting at us to evacuate.
"It was terrifying, especially because we didn't know what was going on. At the time we only had heard some kind of gunshots and we assumed that there were people running around with guns."
One image on Twitter showed about a dozen people lying on the street.One image on Twitter showed about a dozen people lying on the street.
A white lorry, the front of which was riddled with bullet holes, continued to be examined by police in Nice on Friday morning.
A journalist with the Nice Matin newspaper reported from the scene that there was "a lot of blood".
About 50 people have been injured, 18 of them critically.
Another witness, Roy Calley, told the BBC that there were chaotic scenes as police tried to clear the promenade after the attack.
"I live 200m from the promenade and it took nearly one hour 30 minutes to get back to my flat because all the roads have been closed down."
Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet denied earlier reports of hostage situations and said the driver of the lorry had been "neutralised".Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet denied earlier reports of hostage situations and said the driver of the lorry had been "neutralised".
He added that officials were investigating whether the driver acted alone.He added that officials were investigating whether the driver acted alone.
No group has so far claimed responsibility, however prosecutors said the inquiry would be handled by anti-terror investigators. No group has so far said it was behind the attack, however prosecutors said the inquiry would be handled by anti-terror investigators.
Some reports spoke of shots being exchanged between police and the occupants of the lorry but these have not been confirmed. The identity of the man is not yet known, but AFP reported that the identity papers of a 31-year-old French-Tunisian were found in the truck, citing an unnamed police source.
Social media video showed people running through the streets in panic following the incident. 'Tragic paradox'
A journalist with the Nice Matin newspaper reported from the scene that there was "a lot of blood and without doubt many injured". In a nationwide address, Mr Hollande said France was in tears had been "badly hit" but was strong, adding "we need to do everything we can to fight against" such attacks.
A reporter for the AFP news agency said the incident took place as the firework display was ending, adding: "We saw people hit and bits of debris flying around." "All of France is under the threat of Islamic terrorism," he said.
Another image on Twitter showed a white lorry stopped in the middle of the promenade with damage to its front, and four police officers observing it while taking cover behind a palm tree. The president added that "operational reserves" would be deployed to support the army and security forces across the country, with particular focus on the borders.
One eyewitness told BFM TV: "Everyone was calling run, run, run there's an attack run, run, run. We heard some shots. We thought they were fireworks because it's the 14th of July.
"There was great panic. We were running too because we didn't want to stick around and we went into a hotel to get to safety. "
Another witness, Roy Calley, told the BBC that there were "thousands of people on the promenade" when the incident happened.
"The police have completely taken over the city, the promenade has now been closed down. Everybody was physically pushed away from the site and told to get back in no uncertain terms by the police."
"I live 200m from the promenade and it took nearly one hour 30 minutes to get back to my flat because all the roads have been closed down."
US President Barack Obama condemned "in the strongest terms" what he said appeared to be "a horrific terrorist attack in Nice", the White House said.US President Barack Obama condemned "in the strongest terms" what he said appeared to be "a horrific terrorist attack in Nice", the White House said.
The president had been briefed about the situation "and his national security team will update him, as appropriate", National Security Council spokesman Ned Price said.The president had been briefed about the situation "and his national security team will update him, as appropriate", National Security Council spokesman Ned Price said.
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said he was "shocked and saddened by the appalling events in Nice, and the terrible loss of life".British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said he was "shocked and saddened by the appalling events in Nice, and the terrible loss of life".
European Council President Donald Tusk condemned the attack, saying "it's a tragic paradox that the subject of this attack were people celebrating liberty, equality and fraternity".European Council President Donald Tusk condemned the attack, saying "it's a tragic paradox that the subject of this attack were people celebrating liberty, equality and fraternity".
On Friday, flags in France will be flying at half-mast, and Nice's jazz festival has been cancelled.On Friday, flags in France will be flying at half-mast, and Nice's jazz festival has been cancelled.
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