France Supermarket Attack: Gunman Killed, IS Claims Responsibility
French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe called the situation “a serious one”.
French police killed a gunman holed up in a supermarket in France’s Trebes where he had taken hostages earlier on Friday, 23 March.
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the shooting, but gave no evidence to support the claim.
Three people were killed in three separate incidents which the government is treating as an act of terrorism.
The French ministry ruled out the possibility of the attacker being a terrorist. Identified as Redouane Lakdim, he was known for petty crimes and possession of drugs.
EU Gives Full Support to France Post Attacks
European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said that the European Union has offered its full support to France, post the shooting that took place on Friday, reports AFP.
Lights on Eiffel Tower to Be Switched off at Midnight
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has said that the lights on the Eiffel tower will be switched off at midnight on Friday, to honour the three who lost their lives during the shooting, reports ABC News.
Hidalgo also expressed the solidarity of the people of Paris in standing next to the victims, through a twitter post.
State My Absolute Determination to Lead This Fight: Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron, reports CNN, made a statement to the reporters about the rising danger of terrorism and announcing the government’s determination to face it, head-on.
Macron also saluted the officer who had offered to trade himself for one of the hostages, saying: “He has saved lives, and done his role and his country proud. He is currently fighting for his life, and all our thoughts are with him and his family.”
He mentioned that the investigations into the Islamic State’s claim for the shooting, was underway.
Macron, who was in Belgium for a summit of European Union leaders, returned immediately to France following news of the shooting, the report adds.
IS Claims Responsibility for Attack
Islamic State on Friday claimed a shooting in the southwestern French town of Trebes, but gave no evidence to support the claim.
Islamic State said in a statement released online that a "soldier of the caliphate" had carried out the attack. The jihadist group gave no other details.
The attack killed three people as a gunman held up a car, opened fire on police and then took hostages in a supermarket, screaming "Allahu Akbar", the town's mayor said.
Attacker Known For Petty Crimes
The man who killed at least three people in attacks in southern France was a 26-year-old known for petty crimes and possession of drugs, Interior Minister Gerard Collomb told reporters, adding that he acted alone.
Collomb named the attacker as Redouane Lakdim and said he was from nearby Carcassonne, where the attacks started.
"He was known for petty crimes. We had monitored him and thought there was no radicalisation," Collomb said.
Gunman in French Supermarket Killed
French police killed a gunman holed up in the supermarket in France where he had taken hostages earlier on Friday, a source close to the investigation said.
"The hostage-taker is dead, the source said, adding that he was killed during a raid on the supermarket. Two officers were wounded, the source said.
Earlier three people were killed in three separate incidents which the government is treating as an act of terrorism.
Lieutenant-Colonel Swapped Himself in Exchange of a Hostage
A 45-year-old lieutenant-colonel swapped himself in exchange for one of the hostages held in a supermarket in the southern France city of Trebes, a source close to the investigation said, confirming information first published by Le Figaro newspaper.
Hostage-Taking Incident a Terror Attack: Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron said hostage-taking incident in southern France appears to be a terrorist attack.
Attacker Killed Someone before Hostage-Taking
The attacker killed someone with a bullet in the head in the city of Carcassonne before taking hostages in the nearby town of Trebes, said Bruno Bartocetti, the regional representative of the SGP police union.
The two cities are about 20 minutes' drive away.
BFM TV reported that the man had shot one person in a car and injured another before stealing the vehicle.
French Ministry Confirms Two Deaths
Two people were killed in southern France during a hostage-taking at a supermarket in the town of Trebes, a source at the Interior Ministry told Reuters on Friday.
Three people were wounded, said the source, adding that the police operation was still ongoing.
Three Injured in Hostage Situation: French Ministry
The French Interior Ministry has declared three people injured in the hostage situation in the supermarket. One is said to be seriously injured.
Gunman Wants 2015 Paris Attack Convict Released: Reports
The gunman has reportedly asked for the release of Paris November 2015 attacker Salah Abdeslam, BFM TV said, citing an anonymous source.
Abdeslam is the prime surviving suspect in the attacks in Paris in 2015 that killed 130 people. According to The Telagraph, the gunman is a Moroccan national in his 30s and is known to the intelligence services.
It Seems To Be A Terrorist Act: Prime Minister Edouard Philippe
The hostage-taking ongoing in the southwesternFrance town of Trebes seems to be a "terrorist act," Prime Minister Edouard Philippe told reporters on Friday.
"The hostage situation is ongoing. The operation is not over," Philippe said during a visit to Mulhouse. "All the information we have as I speak lead us to think that this would be a terrorist act."
Philippe also said that one police officer had been injured but that his life was not in danger. BFM TV has said the hostage-taker claimed allegiance to Islamic State. Philippe did not mention this fact.
Gunman Shouted "Allahu Akbar, I'll Kill You All"
The mayor of the town in southern France told LCI TV that the man entered the shop screaming: "Allahu Akbar, (God is greatest) I'll kill you all". According to a Reuters report, Mayor Eric Ménassi told BFM TV that the accused was now alone with one police officer in the supermarket and that all other hostages had been freed.
French Counter-Terrorism Prosecutors Open Investigation
Counter-terrorism prosecutors have opened an investigation into the attack, a source in the Paris prosecutor's office told Reuters.
"I can confirm to you that the anti-terrorism division of the Paris prosecutors has taken up the case," the source told the news agency.
2 Feared Dead in Supermarket Shooting
At least two people have been killed during a hostage situation, Depeche du Midi newspaper reported.
France Terror Attack Live Updates: Situation Serious Says Prime Minister Edouard Philippe
The situation is “very serious,” French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe was quoted by Reuters as saying.
France Terror Attack Live Updates: One Policeman Injured in Crossfire
France's Interior Ministry said on Twitter on 23 March that security officials were carrying out an operation at a supermarket in the town of Trebes in southern France.
The UNSA police union also tweeted that a police operation was underway after an individual had earlier shot at four officers in the Carcassone region, injuring one.
France Terror Attack Live Updates: Armed Shooter Takes Hostages in French Supermarket
A man has taken hostages in a supermarket in southwestern France, claiming allegiance to Islamic State, BFM TV said.
Europe 1 radio also said an individual was holding hostages in the supermarket.
(With Reuters, ANI and AFP inputs)
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