King condemns Barcelona terror attack

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday condemned the terror attack in Barcelona, voicing solidarity with the Spanish people and government.

In a cable sent to King Felipe VI of Spain, His Majesty expressed his “utter denunciation of this criminal, cowardly act, stressing that Jordan stands by Spain under these difficult circumstances and reasserts its commitment to supporting international efforts to fight terrorism,” according to a Royal Court statement. 

He expressed sympathy with the families of the victims and wishes for a speedy recovery those wounded. 

A van ploughed into crowds in the Spanish city of Barcelona on Thursday and a regional official said 13 people were killed in what police said they were treating as a terrorist attack, Reuters reported. Police said they had arrested a man, who was later identified as Barcelona attack suspect identified as Driss Oukabir and another was arrested, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP). 

The Daesh terror group claimed responsibility for the rampage, AFP said, quoting the group’s mouthpiece, Amaq. 

It was not immediately clear how many attackers were involved. La Vanguardia newspaper said one of the suspected perpetrators had been killed in a shootout with police on the outskirts of Barcelona.
Witnesses said the van zigzagged down one of Barcelona’s busiest tourist avenues, Las Ramblas, mowing down pedestrians and leaving bodies strewn across the ground.
A government official in the region of Catalonia, which includes Barcelona, said on Twitter that at least 50 people were injured.