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Death toll tops 13 in Barcelona attack

MADRID, Aug 17 (KUNA) -- At least 13 people were killed and 50 others injured after a van plowed into crowds in Las Ramblas tourist area in Barcelona, northeast Spain, on Thursday.
The driver of the van attempted to ran over three police officers and escape from the security checkpoint in the area after the attack but he was killed in a shootout with the police, the state-run TV station reported, citing local security sources.
The Catalonia region police arrested two men under suspicion of involvement in the attack; one of the two suspects is identified as Driss Oubakir, of Moroccan origin, who rented the vehicle to the assailant.
The Spanish Congress of Deputies (lower house of parliament) denounced "the reprehensible terrorist attack on peaceful people in the heart of Barcelona." The attack targeted not only Spain but the entire Europe as well," the house said in a statement, condemning all forms of violence whatever the motives might be.
Spanish King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy vowed, on their Twitter accounts, that their country would never yield to criminal terrorists. (pickup previous) hnd.gb