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'It Was Horrendous': France Reels as Bastille Day Attack Leaves 84 Dead 

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Europe has been hit again by terrorism -- this time at a popular tourist city in the south of France. Dozens of people were killed Thursday night when a truck barreled through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice.

*Do France and other Western nations, including the U.S., have the will to do what it takes to defeat Islamic terrorism? CBN's Dale Hurd tackled that issue and more on The 700 Club. Click play to watch.

Revelers had just finished watching fireworks celebrating La Fete National, French National Day, when the attack took place. 

Thousands were walking along a popular seaside promenade before panic ensued as the driver of a white box truck began plowing into people--mowing down and shooting at them for a mile-and-a half.

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"It was a quite a harrowing scene to be honest. I seen one guy actually running, sobbing, crying. We seen people holding babies, screaming, shouting, mothers running for cover -- it was horrendous," witness Andy Shaw recalled.

At least 84 people were killed, including two Americans: Sean Copeland and his 11-year-old son Brodie of Lakeway, Texas .

Kelly Repan of Florida witnessed the attack.

"We didn't have any idea what we were running from...we just booked it. I grabbed my fiancé and we started running. We're not locals so we really didn't know where we were going," she said.

Watch CBN News special report with Mark Martin as news broke of the Nice, France terror attack.

Eileen White, a tourist from Glasgow, Scotland, said security was good before the attack.

"The promenaded had been closed off. So I suppose the big question is how did the truck get on the promenade in the first place?" she asked.

Police opened fire and finally stopped the lone terrorist. They found guns and grenades inside the truck.

So far, no terrorist group has claimed credit for the attack. Police identified the attacker as a 31-year-old French national of Tunisian descent. He was known to police as a common criminal, but was not on terrorist watch lists.

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said his nation is in a war with terrorists, and French President Francois Hollande promised to reinforce French actions in Iraq and Syria.

"We will continue to hit precisely those who attack us on our own soil in their own area," Hollande said.

President Barack Obama condemned the attack, adding that America's thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims. 

"We stand in solidarity and partnership with France, our oldest ally," he said.

French police are investigating to determine if the terrorist had accomplices or acted alone. 

Meanwhile, Hollande has extended a state of emergency for another three months and the Belgian prime minister is increasing security measures in his country in advance of national celebrations next week. 

Brussels was hit  by Islamic terror at its airport and metro last March. The Nice attack was the second for France in eight months -- 130 people were killed in a series of attacks in Paris last November.

France is now in three days of mourning.

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About The Author

Gary Lane
Gary
Lane

Mr. Lane currently serves as International News Director and Senior International Correspondent for CBN News. He has traveled to more than 120 countries—many of them restricted nations or areas hostile to Christianity and other minority faiths where he has interviewed persecution victims and has provided video reports and analysis for CBN News. Also, he has provided written stories and has served as a consultant for the Voice of the Martyrs. Gary joined The Christian Broadcasting Network in 1984 as the first full-time Middle East Correspondent for CBN News. Based in Jerusalem, Gary produced