French police hunt for driver who tried to ram soldiers in southeast France
Thu Mar 29, 2018 10:25:am World
3.9K By Obiaks Blog
A driver is on the run after trying to ram a car into a group of soldiers jogging near their barracks in south-eastern France.
Soldiers of the 93rd Mountain Artillery Regiment managed to avoid the oncoming vehicle in Varces-Allières-et-Risset, near Grenoble.
Police are searching for the man, who sped off after the attack in what reports say is a stolen Peugeot 208.
Police are not yet speculating about a motive.
The incident comes as victims of a hostage-taking at a supermarket in the south-western town of Trèbes are being buried.
French army spokesman Colonel Benoît Brulon confirmed Thursday's attack, saying the man had "verbally threatened" some soldiers who were starting their morning jog, before trying to ram them as they returned.
The 10 soldiers managed to get out of the way of the car, which sped off after the attack.
Gendarmerie have cordoned off the area and begun searching for the man, while the military has reinforced security around the barracks, Mr Brulon said.
A spokesman for the local prefecture said it was not clear whether the attack was deliberate or not.
"We don't know if it was an involuntary action, an act to try to scare the soldiers, or a deliberate gesture," the spokesman said.
France remains on high alert after a number of terror attacks in recent years, although in October last year President Macron lifted a state of emergency in place since 2015.
BBC
Soldiers of the 93rd Mountain Artillery Regiment managed to avoid the oncoming vehicle in Varces-Allières-et-Risset, near Grenoble.
Police are searching for the man, who sped off after the attack in what reports say is a stolen Peugeot 208.
Police are not yet speculating about a motive.
The incident comes as victims of a hostage-taking at a supermarket in the south-western town of Trèbes are being buried.
French army spokesman Colonel Benoît Brulon confirmed Thursday's attack, saying the man had "verbally threatened" some soldiers who were starting their morning jog, before trying to ram them as they returned.
The 10 soldiers managed to get out of the way of the car, which sped off after the attack.
Gendarmerie have cordoned off the area and begun searching for the man, while the military has reinforced security around the barracks, Mr Brulon said.
A spokesman for the local prefecture said it was not clear whether the attack was deliberate or not.
"We don't know if it was an involuntary action, an act to try to scare the soldiers, or a deliberate gesture," the spokesman said.
France remains on high alert after a number of terror attacks in recent years, although in October last year President Macron lifted a state of emergency in place since 2015.
BBC
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