2016 Nice truck attack

2016 Nice truck attack
Part of Islamic terrorism in Europe
The Promenade des Anglais, the site of the attack
Route of the attacker from west to east
LocationPromenade des Anglais, Nice, France
Coordinates43°41′37″N 7°15′21″E / 43.6936°N 7.2557°E / 43.6936; 7.2557
Date14 July 2016 (2016-07-14)
c. 22:30 – 22:35 CEST
TargetPeople attending or participating in a Bastille Day parade
Attack type
Vehicle-ramming attack, mass murder
WeaponsRenault Midlum cargo truck, 7.65mm pistol[1]
Deaths87 (including the perpetrator)[2][3]
Injured434
AssailantMohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel
MotiveIslamic extremism

On the evening of 14 July 2016, a 19-tonne cargo truck was deliberately driven into crowds of people celebrating Bastille Day on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France, resulting in the deaths of 86 people[n 1] and injuring 434 others.[4] The driver was Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, a Tunisian living in France.[5][6] The attack ended following an exchange of gunfire, during which he was shot and killed by police.

The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, saying Lahouaiej-Bouhlel answered its "calls to target citizens of coalition nations that fight the Islamic State". On 15 July, François Molins, the prosecutor for the Public Ministry, which is overseeing the investigation, said the attack bore the hallmarks of jihadist terrorism.[7]

On 15 July, French President François Hollande called the attack an act of Islamic terrorism, announced an extension of the state of emergency (which had been declared following the November 2015 Paris attacks) for a further three months, and announced an intensification of French airstrikes on ISIL in Syria and Iraq.[8][9] France later extended the state of emergency until 26 January 2017.[10] The French government declared three days of national mourning starting on 16 July. Thousands of extra police and soldiers were deployed while the government called on citizens to join the reserve forces.

On 21 July, prosecutor François Molins said that Lahouaiej-Bouhlel planned the attack for months and had help from accomplices.[11][12][13] By 1 August, six suspects had been taken into custody on charges of "criminal terrorist conspiracy", three of whom were also charged for complicity in murder in relation to a terrorist enterprise. On 16 December three further suspects, allegedly involved in the supply of illegal weapons to Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, were charged.[14][15][16] The attack has been classified as jihadist terrorism by Europol.[17]

  1. ^ Breeden, Aurelien (15 July 2016). "News of the Attack in Nice, France". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 20 July 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2016. In the truck's cabin, officials said, the police discovered an automatic 7.65 mm pistol, a cartridge clip, several used and unused 7.65 mm cartridges, as well as a fake automatic pistol, two fake assault rifles — a replica AK-47 and a replica M-16 — a grenade, a mobile phone and documents.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. ^ a b "Death toll from France truck attack rises to 85". BNO News. 4 August 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Nice truck attack claims 86th victim". Star Tribune. 19 August 2016. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  4. ^ Rubin, Alissa J.; Breeden, Aurelien (15 July 2017). "France Remembers the Nice Attack:We Will Never Find the Words". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Attentat de Nice : ce que l'on sait du chauffeur, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel". Nouvel Obs (in French). Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  6. ^ "Attentat à Nice : le suspect a été formellement identifié" (in French). Europe1. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  7. ^ "France lorry attack: As it happened (all updates from start until 15 July, 21:54)". BBC. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference monde15Jul was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference nrc15Jul,address was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ "Temporary Reintroduction of Border Control". European Commission. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  11. ^ "Nice attacker plotted for months with 'accomplices'". CNN. 21 July 2016.
  12. ^ "Nice attack: Prosecutor says suspect had accomplices". BBC. 21 July 2016. Archived from the original on 21 July 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  13. ^ "Nice truck killer had support, accomplices for carefully planned attack". France24. 21 July 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  14. ^ "Truck attack in Nice: Three more people charged with helping killer". Sky News. 17 December 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  15. ^ "Attentat de Nice: trois suspects présentés à la justice". Libération (in French). 16 December 2016. Archived from the original on 8 January 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  16. ^ "Attentat de Nice: trois suspects mis en examen et écroués". La Dépêche du Midi (in French). 18 December 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  17. ^ "EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report (TE-SAT) 2017". EU Terrorism Situation & Trend Report (Te-Sat). Europol: 22–28. 2017. ISBN 978-92-95200-79-1.


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