The attack in Cambrils occurred only hours after 13 people were killed in an earlier incident in Barcelona.
Five suspected terrorists were shot dead by Spanish police in a second vehicle attack in the town of Cambrils in the early hours of Friday morning, only hours after a vehicle attack claimed the lives of 13 people in Barcelona on Thursday afternoon.
According to the BBC, Catalan emergency services reported that seven people, including a police officer, were wounded when a car was driven into a crowd of people in Cambrils, approximately 90 minutes south of Barcelona and close to the popular holiday resort of Salou.
The men killed by police were wearing explosive belts and police say that they were connected to the attack in Barcelona on Thursday, when 13 people were killed and dozens more injured after a vehicle was driven into a crowd of people in Las Ramblas.
The situation in Cambrils is now believed to be under control and police are continuing to search for the driver responsible for the attack in Barcelona, who fled on foot following the incident on Thursday afternoon.
Spanish police released photos of the suspect, Driss Oubakir, believed to be in his 20s and from Morocco, on Thursday and while documents in his name were used to rent the van used in the attack, reports suggest that he told police he was not involved and that his documents had been stolen.
Three others have been arrested in relation to the incident.
The incident was described as a “jihadist attack” by Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who has declared three days of mourning as a result.
Irish citizens in Barcelona have been urged to follow the advice of local authorities, while anyone with concerns for the safety of loved ones in Spain can contact the Irish Foreign Ministry’s Consular Assistance team on +353-14082000.
Any Irish citizens in Barcelona please follow all advice of local authorities @IrlEmbMadrid https://t.co/uINAx0PimG
— Irish Foreign Ministry (@dfatirl) August 18, 2017
Anyone with concers for safety of loved ones in Barcelona can contact our Consular Assistance team on +353-14082000
— Irish Foreign Ministry (@dfatirl) August 17, 2017
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
