Attack on tourists leaves 13 dead in Spain

International Desk: A van rammed through a crowd of pedestrians in a popular tourist hotspot in Barcelona, Spain Thursday afternoon, leaving at least 13 people killed and more injured.

There are also initial reports that a hostage situation is underway near the scene of the apparent ramming attack.

The incident occurred near the La Rambla pedestrian mall in Barcelona when a white van pulled up onto the sidewalk and ran down a number of people waiting to cross at an intersection.

At least 13 people were killed and dozens injured.

After slamming into the crowd of pedestrians, the driver reportedly exited the vehicle and fled the scene on foot. Local police have yet to declare the incident a terror attack.

There have been unconfirmed reports of gunshots at the scene of the incident, The Sun reported.

The incident took place near two kosher restaurants, Maccabi, and Maoz Falafel.

Police ordered Maccabi closed as a security precaution after the incident.

"It was quite terrifying,” one witness told Sky News. “All of a sudden scores of people ran towards us, hysterical, children hysterical… first of all they said someone had been shot. All of a sudden a second wave of people came down the street, we just ran, I lost my husband in the melee. The shops went into lockdown mode."

"We really had no idea what was going on other than that we needed to get ourselves out of there very quickly... there was just hundreds of people running away very quickly."

After the apparent ramming attack, a number of armed men took hostages near the scene of the initial incident, The Independent reported.

According to Sky News, two armed men had “entrenched” themselves in a local bar.

Agencies

risingbd/Dhaka/Aug 17, 2017/Amirul