What we know until now:
– Around 11 at night, the driver of a white van drove straight onto a large group of people who had gathered in order to view the Bastille Day firework presentation.
– 84 people, many children among them, are reported to be dead while 202 are injured and at least 25 in critical condition. Latest reports suggest 54 children are hospitalized
– The driver of the vehicle was shot dead by the police.
– The driver was identified as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, a 31 year old French-Tunisian who was known to the authorities for having taken part in robberies and for violent incidents.
– No terrorist organization has issued any statement regarding the attack and the motives of perpetrator, possibly just one, remain unclear.
– The French president Francois Hollande and the prime minister Manuel Valls have both made statements which make it clear that they consider this latest incident to be a terrorist one.
– France is on red alert, a condition which will not be lifted as was expected. The country was put on red alert after a series of terrorist attacks in Paris and this was scheduled to be lifted on July 26. After the latest incident the alert will be kept for three more months.
– Almost all western countries have expressed their sympathy for the latest atrocity.
– The Foreign Ministry on Friday invited citizens concerned over the wellbeing of Greeks who may have been present at a deadly attack on a Bastille Day celebration in Nice, France, to call its hotline for information on (+30) 210.368.1730 and (+30) 210.368.1259, or send an e-mail to [email protected].
However, the Greek Embassy in Paris has said it had no reports of any Greek nationals being among the those killed or injured.