The French prime minister, Gabriel Attal, told parliament that two prison officers had been killed and three others seriously injured in the ambush at a motorway toll point. He said the attack had targeted the French republic and the justice system.
"The whole country is shocked by this attack of unprecedented violence," he said after parliament held a minute's silence for the officers.
The attack took place at about 11am in Incarville, in the Eure region of Normandy. The high-security inmate was being transported from a courthouse in Rouen to a prison in Évreux.
A police source said several individuals, who arrived in two vehicles, rammed the police van and fled. One was wounded, the police source said. French media reported that the men were dressed in black, wearing balaclavas and heavily armed.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der May 15, 2024-Ausgabe von The Guardian.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der May 15, 2024-Ausgabe von The Guardian.
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