Spain two terrorist attacks happened during the day. In Barcelona, the van drove into a crowd on a pedestrian street, 13 people were killed, more than a hundred were injured. Then a similar incident occurred in the Catalan Barcelona, in the attack seven people were injured.
A terrorist attack in Barcelona
The van drove for about 400 meters through the pedestrian area of La Rambla and stopped after a collision with a kiosk. Specially the driver was driving in zigzags, trying to knock as many people as possible, eyewitnesses say.
The driver of the car fled, the police are after him. He’s not armed.
It was initially reported that the driver was Driss Kabir (Driss Oukabir) — a resident of the municipality of Ripoll and a native of Marseilles. Later, the mayor of Ripoll said that Kabir went to the police and stated that he had stolen the passport. The version that the documents could steal his younger brother, 18-year-old Musa Kabir who lives in Barcelona and is really involved in the attack, writes La Vanguardia. Musa has French citizenship.
The police of Catalonia confirmed that a terrorist attack in Barcelona arrested two people. Both are natives of North Africa. One of them was born in Morocco, the second in Melilla (Spanish enclave on the border with Morocco). Previously they were not brought to trial.
One of the alleged terrorists detained in Ripoll, the other in Alcanar.
Spanish press also reported that police allegedly found a second van that could be used by criminals. He was found near Burger King in the district of Vic.
Responsibility for the attack took a banned terrorist group “Islamic state”.
Information about the armed people who allegedly barricaded himself in one of the restaurants and took hostages, was not confirmed.
He also received information that another car ran over two police officers in Barcelona. The driver of the car died. According to law enforcement, he is a Spaniard and has nothing to do with the attack.
Police link the attack on the Rambla with another incident, which occurred on Thursday morning in Alcanar (province of Tarragona in Catalonia). In one of the houses of the city explosion, the building was completely destroyed. Inside there were two people — one died, the other seriously injured. Six people in neighboring houses received minor injuries. Spanish media have speculated that the cause was an explosion in the drug lab because of a gas leak. Day in Alcanar second explosion thundered, as a result of which several policemen were injured. The details of the incident are still unknown.
One of the suspects in the terrorist attack were arrested in Alcanar. Investigators suspect that the residents of the house where the explosion occurred, was trying to make a homemade bomb.
A terrorist attack in Barcelona
In the night from Thursday to Friday, the Catalan law enforcement officers conducted a special operation in the town of Cambrils, near Barcelona, the results of which eliminated four terrorists, another injured and was arrested. During the shooting, the injured police officer.
The police said that those killed were preparing a new terrorist act.
As writes the Spanish press, the dead terrorists made arrival on pedestrians. Media have reported seven wounded, two of them in serious condition. Channel 24 Horas notes that one of the eliminated terrorist was wearing a suicide vest.
Information about the Russians is checked
Embassy of Russia in Spain checks whether there are among the injured or dead in Barcelona the citizens of Russia, told RIA Novosti on the phone from Madrid, the press Secretary of the Embassy Olga Efimova.
Rosturizm is connected to the situational center of the Ministry of foreign Affairs and also determines whether the Russians among the victims, told RIA Novosti adviser to the head of Department Svetlana Sergeeva. She added that Barcelona is one of the popular vacation destinations among the Russians at this time of year.
Association “Turpomosch” has not yet received the data about the suffered Russians. Now in the Catalan capital, according to the Association, may be a few thousand citizens of Russia, told RIA Novosti the head of “Turpomoschi” Oleksandr Osaulenko.
One group of Russian tourists at the time of the incident was in the Plaza Catalunya, which begins in Las Ramblas, told RIA Novosti the tourist Alexander Kiselev. According to him, the group was able to promptly take out from the city centre.
“In the beginning there was panic, did not know where to run. The whole group scattered in the area. Then quickly came to our bus, we jumped in and drove away from the center. At first it was confusion, now the shock,” he said. One of the victims he saw.
Care about tourists
After the terrorist attack in Barcelona, all the shops were closed, people were evacuated and streets in the area cordoned off Las Ramblas. In addition, were closed metro station in the city centre. Now the police, the police removed the cordon from the Rambla.
The Department of tourism of Barcelona has offered to resettle in other hotels, tourists staying in the area of Las Ramblas.
As stated by the President of the office Joan Gaspar, Barcelona hotels are open for those who need accommodation. He said that people should not remain outside while the police operation continues. Gaspar added that the cordoned off area is located more than 50 hotels, where thousands of tourists.
All entertainment events in the city cancelled. Spain declared three days of mourning.
The international reaction
Moscow strongly condemns terrorist attack in Barcelona. “Sure, that evil has no justification. Pass words of sympathy to the Spanish people. I grieve with you,” reads the statement on official Twitter page.
Condolences to king of Spain Felipe VI was expressed by President Vladimir Putin.
“We strongly condemn this cruel and cynical crime committed against civilians. The incident once again reiterates the need for the real unification of efforts of all world community in the fight against the forces of terror,” — said in the telegram of the President.
Russia in the case of treatment on the part of Spain will provide all necessary assistance and support in the investigation of the attack in Barcelona, said the Chairman of the Duma Committee on international Affairs Leonid Slutsky.
The attack was also condemned by US President Donald trump, who urged Spaniards to “be tough and strong.” U.S. Secretary of state Rex Tillerson said that Washington was ready to help Spain in the investigation into the attack. Solidarity with the Spanish people was expressed by the head of the European Council Donald Tusk and the head of EU diplomacy Federica Mogherini, the President of France Emmanuel macron.
